


The Storyteller

by stephensmat



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: 74th Hunger Games, A Good Man Goes to War, Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Betrayal, F/M, Gen, Healing, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Katniss Can't Volunteer, Love Confessions, Love Triangles, Mockingjay Lives, Passive Resistance, Peeta in the Games, Prim In The Games, Resistance, Strategy & Tactics, Tragedy, Victor Peeta
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2020-01-24 11:32:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 106,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18570592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stephensmat/pseuds/stephensmat
Summary: Effie let out a long suffering sigh at Katniss' shout. "I'm sorry, miss; but the time for that has passed. If you wanted to volunteer, you should have said so when it was your turn."A canon-divergent Fic: Prompt: What if Katniss wasn't allowed to Volunteer for Prim?Peeta and Prim are Reaped and go to the Capitol for the Games. Peeta has only one goal: To keep Prim alive. He has only one tactic: To make sure he's more than just a Piece in their Games. He knows that if he comes back alive, Katniss will never forgive him. But if Prim survives, he's certain to die. What results was something the Capitol never saw coming.Rated hard T for themes, both implied and directly shown. This is the Hunger Games, after all.





	1. Too Late

**Author's Note:**

> AN: Okay, so here's a Hunger Games Fic, based around a simple piece of Canon Divergence: What if you could only Volunteer as Tribute… *Before* the name had been picked?
> 
> I won't be rewriting the whole book, page for page; but if you're reading Hunger Games Fanfic, you won't have any trouble keeping track.
> 
> The continuity will be a combo of the book and movie, starting with the idea that Katniss couldn't volunteer. I don't know about the other two books. A version of Catching Fire is planned, but it will ultimately depend on how people feel about this fic.

"Now then, are there any volunteers among the young ladies?" Effie said poshly.

Peeta rolled his eyes. It was a formality. There were never any volunteers in Twelve. Years ago, it was said that people were allowed to volunteer  _after_  the name had been called, but that didn't work out. There were always a few kids too weak and sickly to work in the mines, and they would volunteer to save another; in exchange for having their own families looked after by the community. The idea of volunteering with the hope of winning wasn't even a possibility.

 _Haymitch's win broke the mold; and he didn't volunteer._  Peeta reflected. _I wonder if I'd be willing to Volunteer to keep others safe…_

Peeta shook his head.  _Even if I was, it's wrong, sacrificing your life at seventeen because your siblings are too hungry to keep you._

Effie reached into the bowl with great ceremony, and despite himself, Peeta glanced over at where Katniss stood. He did it every year. Katniss was sixteen. Another two Reapings, and she'd be safe. But Katniss' eyes were glued to Prim. Prim was twelve. Her first time in the bowl.

_I wonder if my older brothers ever worried like that for me._

Effie drew out the name. "Our female Tribute… Primrose Everdeen!"

Peeta felt his stomach drop. Katniss went a little insane. She threw herself forward, and was stopped well before she reached her sister. Peeta took one step forward to try and get to her, but there was no way past the row of guards.

"I volunteer!" Katniss shrieked. " _ **I volunteer as Tribute!**_ "

Effie let out a long suffering sigh. "I'm sorry, miss; but the time for that has passed. If you wanted to volunteer, you should have said so when it was your turn."

Peeta felt a low coil of something dark grow in the pit of his stomach. _Of course. Any way to make this moment feel_ _any_ _worse, the Capitol found and put into practise long ago._

"And now our male Tribute… Do we have any volunteers?

 _I could protect her._ Peeta thought, and pushed that thought away instantly. It hurt like hell to see Katniss being held down by four different Peacekeepers as Prim walked to the stage as bravely as she could. He almost wanted to volunteer but the time for that was over, and there was nothing to be gained by-

"Our male tribute… Peeta Mellark."

Peeta almost didn't register. He'd been thinking about it so hard that it almost felt like he'd been granted his wish.

Reality closed in soon after.

* * *

Peeta was pacing the waiting room, working off his nerves. He'd been watching the Games his whole life. They were mandatory viewing, after all. He knew he'd have to be calm once he got on the train.

The door opened, and he turned, mildly surprised. He hadn't expected...

Madge stepped in. "Can I come in?"

"Sure." Peeta smiled.

Madge looked around. "Nobody... here?"

"They had to go and tell my family. Most of my brothers are over eighteen." Peeta explained.

"Yeah, but they still assembled, surely? I mean, the whole District..." Madge shook her head. "No, doesn't matter." She shut the door behind her. "I just came from Prim. Katniss is trying to drill five years worth of hunting skill into a five minute conversation."

Peeta scoffed. "If they'd let her volunteer, she'd be Sudden Death."

Madge nodded. "Yeah. But let's be honest... If Katniss had been picked, you'd have volunteered the second you had a chance."

Peeta said nothing, jaw dropping.

"What? Was it meant to be a secret?" Madge smirked.

"She doesn't even know I exist, Madge." Peeta admitted. "If... When the worst happens-"

"Don't say that. I've seen you in the gym. You can press more weights on one hand than most boys in the competitions, and you can do it on three days of starvation rations. Don't count yourself out."

"Didn't know you were watching."

"Me and half the girls in class." Madge admitted.

"Madge, if I come back alive, it means Prim is dead." Peeta countered softly.

"Peeta..." Madge said softly. "If you think you can get Katniss to fall for you from beyond the grave..."

"I'm not an idiot, Madge. I know it's crazy. But..." Peeta waved an arm at the door. "Look around. Prim has a dozen people fighting to see her and wish her luck, and my own mother only stayed long enough to tell me that she thought they should have let Katniss volunteer because The District should have the win."

Madge scowled. "I... I don't really have a lot to offer you."

"You came. It was nice of you."

Madge came and made him look at her. "Listen to me. You're strong. You're stoic. But your... edge? It will be your alliances."

"Nobody allies with Twelve Tributes."

"But they aren't you." Madge pressed him. "Peeta, you're the only guy I know that could get Darius to donate his own food rations at the Hob. The only guy who could calm that feral horse that wandered into the Seam. You could probably make a Tracker-Jacker team with you if you tried."

Peeta chuckled. "Thanks."

"It's not a compliment, Peeta. It's your strategy." Madge said seriously. "Remember, it's all a show. If you can't be deadly, be likeable. It'll make them cheer for you."

"Madge." Peeta insisted. "If I win-"

"If you say her name again, I'll hit you." She said nicely. "Unrequited Love is a hard enough thing, Peeta; but it shouldn't be a death sentence." She sighed. "I'm so sorry for how this played out."

"I'm sorry too. For you, I mean." Peeta said quietly. "I think we both know Gale won't leave Katniss' side ever again, no matter what happens in the Arena."

Madge winced hard. "I guess the odds just weren't in our favor. Not for any of us."

Knock knock.

Peeta's father, Walt Mellark; poked his head in. He saw Madge and smiled. "Oh. Should I come back later?"

"Somehow, I don't think that's an option." Madge commented, and turned back to Peeta. "Listen... If..." Madge struggled to put it into words, before she leaned over and gave Peeta a swift kiss on the cheek. "Good luck."

She left them then. When the door opened, Peeta could hear Katniss' voice. She was talking to Gale, hovering around the entrance to the room.

_She came to see me?_

The door closed again, and Peeta's father reached out to give him a tight hug. "Peeta, I-"

"I love you, dad." Peeta said softly. "And mom. Whatever happens, don't let this be something between you."

His father nodded. "Peeta... I know how to keep a family together when there's nothing there. I've done it before."

"Good, because if I don't come back, you'll have to do it for two families."

His father hesitated.

"Promise me!" Peeta insisted. "All those stories you told me about Katniss' mom... You know how she reacted when her husband died. If that happens again, Katniss might not... be enough. Don't you let them starve. Not ever."

"Peeta, I tried my hardest to give them food after the mine collapsed, but..."

Peeta went past him to the door, opened it, and gestured for Gale to come in. Katniss was left staring, stunned, and more than a little curious as her best friend was summoned in by a Tribute.

"Dad, this is Gale Hawthorne. Gale, this is my father." Peeta said crisply. "If the worst happens, I need you to come to him at the Bakery. He will have food for Prim's family. If I come back, I don't think she'll accept anything from me, no matter how bad it gets. If neither of us come back, she still won't. But she'll accept help from you. So you bring her rolls and breads... But you can't ever tell her where it comes from; or why."

Gale stared, nodding slowly. He hadn't even asked which 'she' Peeta meant. It was clear he was figuring something out, but Peeta didn't care. His life could be measured in weeks, and he'd never see Katniss again.

"I should have volunteered." Gale said quietly.

"She'd never have forgiven you." Peeta said quietly. "Either she comes back or you do? Either way, an impossible position for Katniss." He shrugged weakly. "Easier if it's me. But I'll fight for her, Gale. I promise, I'll do what you would do."

"I had no idea." Gale admitted.

"I did." Walt murmured.

"Katniss didn't." Gale added. "Or at least she never mentioned it to me."

Peeta paused. "Dad, give us a minute?"

Walt nodded and hugged his son, knowing he'd never see him again. "You are the bravest soul I know, Peeta. Good luck."

Walt left them then, and Peeta returned to his conversation with Gale. "Katniss could walk through fire and not notice the heat." Peeta said. "But look who I'm telling."

Gale pulled his head in, and glanced at the door. Speaking softly, it was unlikely she'd heard. "You noticed."

"We're in love with someone who's vowed never to feel a moment's love for anything." Peeta commiserated. "For years, it's been torture. Today, it's almost a relief."

"Gotta look real hard for that silver lining." Gale almost laughed.

Peeta looked at him. "Thing is, she failed. She volunteered to die in her sister's place. That's love. If Prim dies, it will crush her completely. She'll need you."

"Thank you, for that deal with your father. You're right. She'll accept it from me." Gale shook his hand firmly. "I can't offer much, but I'll guard Katniss with my life. Good luck in there."

"Good luck back here." Peeta returned.  _I wonder if Gale and I would have been friends, if neither of us had met Katniss?_

And then Gale left. A moment later, Katniss was shoved into the room forcibly, by Gale and Madge. She looked like she wanted to be anywhere else.

Peeta didn't know what to say to her either. He'd rehearsed a thousand conversations with her, a thousand ways he'd say it. None of them worked any more.

Finally, she broke the silence. "Your dad gave Prim some cakes."

Peeta nodded.

Long silence.

"Are you scared?" She asked finally. "Because Prim is... remarkably calm. She said she wanted to be a doctor, or at least a nurse, so I guess..."

"Yeah, I'm scared." Peeta admitted. "I just... I hope they don't change me."

"What do you mean?"

"I think I could be a killer, if my life was at stake. If Prim's life was at stake... But I see the Victors, crowing about their kills, and I wonder how they can get themselves to that point? I just hope... I just hope that when it comes down, I'll still be me, and not just a piece in their games..." He saw her face, and chuckled at himself. "I know, stupid."

"Not stupid." She said softly. "But if I was going with you, I don't think I'd be so…"

Long silence.

Katniss sighed. "I should have thanked you. For the bread. I should have said something." She said finally. "I wanted to, but by the time I knew we weren't going to starve, I didn't know what to say, and after a while there wasn't anything I could say that would be enough... You never get a chance to repay that first debt. And this was the biggest thing anyone could have ever... You saved her life, Peeta."

 _She said my name. She actually knows my name._  He slapped that thought down.  _All Panem knows my name now._

Katniss wouldn't look at him. "I didn't know... if it was deliberate. When you burned the bread. Did you even know I was there?"

"I knew." Peeta promised. "I would have brought out the entire bakery if I thought-"

"No, don't." Katniss shook her head very fast. "Don't make it nicer. Because I still can't pay you back." She whispered. "I can't even wish you luck, because if you win, it means..."

"I know." Peeta let her off the hook. "Katniss... I promise, I will send her home to you."

Katniss finally looked at him, alarmed. "What? Why would you..." She blinked hard, trying to figure out what he'd just said. "Why would you promise me that?"

"Because if I come back, it means I failed to save Prim. And if she comes back, then it means I'm dead. And if neither of us come back, it means both." Peeta said. "So this is the only chance I'll ever get to tell you..."

Katniss stared at him, eyes getting bigger and bigger.

Finally, Peeta summoned up every ounce of courage he'd ever had, took two steps forward, and kissed Katniss passionately. He'd imagined it so often it took him a moment to realize it was actually their first kiss.

Katniss responded with a move that every teenage girl in Twelve knew, and the wonderful feeling of her lips on his broke quickly. It had lasted three heartbeats. Long enough for Peeta. "I should have asked first, I know." He breathed. "Forgive me, given the circumstances?"

Katniss was staring at him, fingertips resting on her mouth like she was trying to decide if that had really happened.

The silence stretched, and Peeta spoke again. "Katniss, if you ever again feel a moment's guilt about not paying me back for the bread, trust me: We're more than even."

Katniss was still staring at him, struck mute. She stepped backwards until she hit the door, and then spun, fumbling for the doorknob.

She was halfway out the door, still in shock when she turned back. "Um... good luck. Only, not good luck, because that means..." Katniss cleared her throat, turning bright pink. "Buh-Bye, Peeta."

The door shut so fast it bounced instead of catching on the latch. Madge and Gale were watching Katniss go, jaws hanging open. It was clear they'd heard everything.

Peeta was struggling to to jump up and down with sheer elation. He'd had the nerve to kiss Katniss. He'd actually gone through with it. Let the Arena do its worst. He'd never done anything harder or scarier. The Tributes were child's play now.

Peeta saw Madge, smiling broadly at him as she quietly led Gale away by the arm...

And the strategy started to form in his head.


	2. Strategic Thinking

Prim looked remarkably calm. Certainly a lot calmer than Peeta felt. At least, she wasn't letting it spoil her appetite. Calling Prim underweight would be generous. In the Arena, she'd be up against people with actual muscle. People with enough calories to have endurance.

_So will I._  Peeta realized suddenly, and he started collecting a plate too.

Prim was lost, staring at the elaborate food. More food than she'd ever seen in one place. Probably more food than she'd eaten in her whole short life put together.

"Nice pin." Peeta said to his fellow Tribute finally.

"It's a Mockingjay." Prim looked down at the gold pin on her lapel. "A gift, from Madge. I've never had jewellery before. Madge thought I should take it as my District Token."

Peeta nodded absently. "Where is Haymitch?"

Effie was filing her nails. "He'll be in. He always..." Her eyes flicked to Prim. "He needs a little longer when the Tributes are younger."

"He's supposed to be training us." Prim groused. "Effie, you've been on this ride before: Is there any chance of him being sober?"

"Haymitch always stays sober during the Games, and stays as drunk as possible the other fifty weeks a year." Effie sighed hard. "I like to think it's my influence that keeps him level; and I've been tempted to make sure he doesn't drink afterwards; but really: Who could be expected to deal with that full-time?" She gestured at the table. "Remember to use the silverware, little darlings. The last Tributes had the table manners of apes."

Prim scowled at Effie, and Peeta suddenly saw the resemblance to her sister. "What are Apes?" He asked Effie.

"Doesn't matter." Prim rose. "I'm going to find Haymitch."

"I'll go." Peeta said quickly. "He may not be decent."

Prim gave him a hard look. "Katniss says that Haymitch can only get one of us back, at most. She says he'll pick his favorite pretty quick."

Peeta felt a thrill of disgust go through him. "Probably true, but I promise, I'm not trying to win favor. He's probably too loaded to notice anyway."

"Hmph." Effie agreed. "Get him in here. We have a schedule!"

* * *

Nobody in District Twelve enjoyed following the Games. The Games were required viewing in the Districts, but that was a matter of the Screens being hardwired to stay on during the Games. The Preliminaries weren't as Mandatory.

But in the Everdeen Household, all eyes were glued to the Screen this year.

"I cannot stand the Parades." Katniss commented sickly. "Is there a prize for  _decorating_  the prettiest human sacrifice?"

"Yup." Gale nodded. "The Stylists for the winner get their own Label. A famous Label gets all kinds of prizes. To say nothing of fame, to carry the business later on."

"They're animals." Katniss declared profoundly.

"Yes, but animals with their own Pack Rules." Gale nodded. "Remember, when you're hunting Predators, you never start with the Alpha."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, it looks like Peeta knows how to work the crowd to his advantage." Her mother answered before Gale could. "He and Prim need their crumbs right now. A suit of flames and light was enough to get people throwing roses to Prim. Right now I'm in favor of anything that keeps her alive. Even if it comes from Them."

Katniss had no answer to that.

Long silence.

"It  _was_  an impressive outfit, though." Gale said finally.

"...yeah."

* * *

There were three days of training, full time. The Training Centre passed in a blur. Peeta tried to soak as much of it in as she could. Prim was ahead of the field on edible and medicinal plants. Peeta was top of the charts on camouflage. But that wasn't enough to get the Career Pack interested.

Otherwise, it passed in snapshots; day-by-day.

**Day One:**

"Okay, Prim. Remember what Haymitch said. Don't show your whole skill-set."

"Haymitch didn't say anything to me. I think he's picked his favorite."

"I'm sure that's not true."

"Katniss says Haymitch can only save one of us, so I have to save myself."

"Well… tell you what, anything Haymitch teaches me, I'll teach you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

**Day Two:**

"Where's Prim?"

"In the Training Centre, with Rue. The two of them have adopted each other somewhat."

"Mm. The young ones always do."

"Katniss was right; wasn't she, Haymitch? You have written Prim off. That's not fair!"

"None of this is fair, kid. Figure that out. In seventy four Games, only one twelve-year-old has lived to reach the final eight, let alone win."

"I'm not ready to write her off just yet."

"You will be."

**Day Three:**

"Haymitch, Tributes aren't allowed to fight outside the Arena, right?"

"Right."

"What about... other stuff?"

"Keep your eyes in your head and your zipper shut, boy."

"Not me. Cato and Glimmer. They're from different Districts, but this morning? He came off the elevator with her. The elevators are glass. We all saw it: He was on her floor last night. You should see them in the Training Centre. She does everything short of a lapdance when they're paired together."

"They're eighteen years old, hyper-fit, about to risk their lives; and looking for ways to manipulate each other into temporary trust. Districts One and Two always ally. If Glimmer's looking for a way to get Cato to stick with her, even within the Career Pack; she may get her wish… But Alliances never last. Trust me, when the herd thins out, they won't be sentimental. Now. Scores of Seven and Eight? We can work with that. Let's talk about the Interviews."

"Where's Prim?"

"With Effie. She gets you this afternoon. She'll tell you  _how_  to speak, so all we have to figure out is what you're going to say."

* * *

Even Katniss was yawning as they waited out the rest of the Interviews. The Audience was restless by the time they got anywhere near the District Twelve Tributes. She sent Gale a look.  _It's not fair. If Prim has to dance for their crumbs, she should have as much chance as anyone, but she's always at the end of every list._

Gale read her look and set his mouth, just so.  _Of course it's unfair. We're District Twelve. Ass-End of Panem._

They'd been so close for so long it was near telepathy. Which was good, because they dared not say any of these things out loud in front of her Mother.

"You can see Effie's work." Gale offered during Prim's Interview. "The way she's sitting, the posture, the smile on her face…"

"Yeah." Katniss said quietly. "She looks… like a Princess. She'd never have anything half that pretty to wear in Twelve if she saved up her whole life."

* * *

Peeta was backstage, watching Prim but not really hearing her. She was still wearing her sunny, optimistic smile. Haymitch and Effie had settled on 'likeable' as her persona. Something that Prim excelled at. Peeta glanced out at the audience. They were all smiling at her. The audience had been here for hours, and the Capitol was famous for short attention spans, but Prim had them charmed.

"So, Prim…" Ceaser kept the interview moving. "Tell me about the Reaping. We all saw someone trying to volunteer after your name was called."

"My big sister." Prim nodded. "The other Tributes should count their lucky stars that they don't let you Volunteer  _after_  the names are called. If Katniss was sitting here right now, the other Tributes wouldn't have a hope." She sent a winning glance back at the Curtain, where Peeta was standing, just backstage. "Well… Maybe one of them would."

Peeta flushed. As far as he knew, nobody had told Prim about his farewell to Katniss, but if Gale and Madge had been able to hear through the door, why not Prim as well?

Ceaser beamed. "Think you can do the same?"

"In some ways, I might do better." Prim promised. "My mom's the apothecary in town; so when people are hurt; they come to our house. Katniss never liked to see people suffer. That's why she aims so straight. Quick and clean."

"Think you can do the same?"

"Probably not. I'm not quite as good a shot as Katniss. I'm guessing it'll be far more slow and painful coming from me." Prim ducked her head adorably after she said that, as though a little embarrassed at her attempt to be dangerous. The crowd actually 'awwed' at her little-kid moment.

"Ooh. Don't count this one one out, Panem!" Ceaser laughed it up.

* * *

Peeta's eyes flicked to the other Tributes on stage. Most of them were slouching, waiting for it to be over. Cato's head was turned towards the rest of the row. His posture said that he was studying his opponents, but from his position at the curtain, Peeta could see Cato's eyes were glued to Glimmer's curves. The eighteen year old beauty was very aware of it, using the row of Tributes in front of her as cover as she swayed her hips a little for him. Her handlers has dressed her in the most devastatingly sexy outfit an eighteen year old girl could wear.

_Think she's really interested, or just playing him?_ Peeta wondered _. Or is he playing her?_

Then the buzzer went off, and Prim waved brightly to the crowd as she made her way to the rest of the Tributes.

Peeta was called to the stage. The cheering was… perfunctory. Polite. The Capitol had no filter, and would screech for anything shiny, but they were getting ready to go home for the night. Peeta started with a routine about the bathrooms; and all the buttons and options. It was true; he'd never had options when it came to washing up before.

There was laughter from the audience, and Ceaser jumped right into the Banter; but it wasn't enough.

"So, Peeta…" Ceaser got to the meat of the interview. "Any ideas on strate-"

"Actually, Ceaser…" Peeta interrupted. "I was wondering if I could ask you a small favor?"

"For our honored Tributes? Anything."

"Well, Ceaser, for days now, I've been going around and around with my stylists, my trainers, with Haymitch... All of them have ideas about how to 'present' me to Panem. You think anyone would mind if I just... told them a story?"

"Oh, we love stories here, Peeta. But only the best."

"Would I come on your show with anything less?"

The audience laughed at their banter, enjoying him.

Peeta actually stood up, and took a step to the edge of the stage, putting their eyes on him. "One day, I was out walking with my father. I was five years old, and he points out this girl my age with brown hair. It was just before she and I started school. My dad tells me that he knows the girl, through her mother. In fact, he was madly in love with her, once upon a time." He glanced at the cameras. "Dad, sorry to do this in front of everyone, but I'm safely here in the Capitol, away from mom; so I finally get to tell someone this story."

Laughter from the audience.

"So I asked my father what happened, and my dad tells me that this girl he loved ran off with a Miner from the Seam." Peeta smiled at the memory. "Now, there's no reason you should understand that, but even at five years old, I wondered why anyone would pick a Seam Coal Miner over my dad. Twelve isn't exactly prosperous, but we have have a relatively 'wealthy' side of town, just like everywhere else."

His voice was sentimental, the pacing perfect. No Tribute had ever told a story like this. No Tribute had ever crafted a narrative at all, beyond the Games. This was something  _new_ ; and the audience was coming around, interested. Even the other Tributes, assembled on the stage, were listening. Prim had a funny look on her face, like she was trying to place this story.

"So I asked my dad 'why did she marry a miner, if she could have had you?'. And my dad, he says 'Whenever the Man sings, even the birds stop to listen'." Peeta chuckled. "I didn't buy it. Nobody sings that well. Not enough for true love."

Peeta looked to Prim, holding her surprised gaze for a perfect beat. She knew who he meant; and with him looking at her, the cameras had clocked her reaction; so everyone in Panem saw it too.

Peeta looked back to Ceaser. "Later on, the whole class is assembled, and I notice the brown haired girl is in my music class. The Teacher asks 'who knows the Valley Song?' and her hand shoots up. She goes up to the front of the class and starts to sing… and I feel the floor open up under my feet. I suddenly get what her mother saw in a Coal Miner I'd never heard of, because after three notes; all the birds outside have gone silent, and I'm falling hard." He chuckled ruefully. "I've been falling ever since." He looked back at Ceaser directly. "I was a goner. Five years old, and just… knew. I always knew. I've spent my life always knowing exactly where that girl with the voice of a Mockingjay was. And I never told her."

"Never?" Ceaser couldn't help but ask. "For eleven years? Good looking kid like you, I find that hard to believe."

"Ceaser, I'm twenty hours from the Arena. There's no place in my world for pretty lies any more." Peeta smiled, sitting back down. "It was a near thing, but she came to see me after the Reaping. And I finally told her how I felt. I've been wanting to scream it from the rooftops since kindergarten." He reached out and clasped Ceaser's hand. "Thank you so much, Ceaser. Rooftops weren't enough anymore. Not compared to your show."

"You know something, Handsome? You win this thing, and she couldn't possibly turn you down." Ceaser beamed at him. "I mean it, she's watching right now; and you better believe she'll be cheering you on the whole way."

"No, she won't." Peeta said softly, pausing for the perfect beat. "She'll be cheering for her little sister."

There was a gasp from the audience that sucked every bit of air and sound from the entire studio. Everyone looked to Prim, who had tears in her eyes, and a perfect smile of sentiment on her lips. Peeta had somehow brought Katniss on stage and made the Capitol see an object of tragic unrequited love.

"Well. That is, indeed... unfortunate." Ceaser said finally, caught completely off guard.

"I guess the odds just weren't in our favor." Peeta agreed, and he checked the clock.  _Ceaser could end the interview here._  There had been twenty four interviews. The audience was loving the story, but ready to leave... "But if you'll indulge me one moment more, Ceaser, I would like to say thank you... to the audience. To the Capitol. Because as much as I would give my life, and my last breath to give Katniss her sister home safe, I know that I never would have had the nerve to tell Katniss how I felt if I hadn't known it would be my last goodbye." He turned to the crowd, both hands over his heart, sentimental smile that he'd practised in the mirror for over an hour. "That fear has been haunting me since longer than I can remember, and I finally conquered it. I think that anyone who's ever been afraid to admit unrequited love can relate to that. And now I am free." He looked over the crowd, settling on the people who were looking him in the eye, just an instant with each of them, making them feel it. "And if this place should be the last thing I see, I want you to know it was worth it just for that. Thank you all. Thank you all  _so much_."

There wasn't a dry eye in the house. The Capitol always had their favorites, but this was the first time a Tribute had ever 'picked the audience' as a favorite, instead of the other way around. All of a sudden, the crowd wasn't eager to go home. There was a sentimental moment, and then a roar of applause and approval that brought the entire auditorium to their feet.

Peeta waved, blew kisses to them, and wandered over to the other Tributes. Prim jumped down from her place without hesitation and ran to Peeta, hugging him tightly. He didn't hesitate to hug her right back. An image that went around Panem instantly.

Ceaser ate it up. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PEETA MELLARK!"

* * *

Katniss had sunk so far into her chair that she had nearly fallen out of it. Her mother was blatantly gawping at her. "I... I didn't-"

"Katniss, do you have any idea what just happened?" Her mother breathed. "Our girl might actually be in with a shot."

"Mm." Gale grunted. Nothing more than that.

* * *

It was the night before the Games began, and nobody could sleep. Peeta was heading up to the roof, when a small voice called him back. "Peeta?"

He turned, and saw Prim at the doorway to her room. "Hey. How do you like your room?"

"It's a palace, compared to what I had at home." Prim admitted. "But I'd still rather be there."

"Me too."

Prim held up a piece of paper, folded tightly. "I wrote a letter to Katniss. You think Haymitch will deliver it for me, when…"

"I hope so. Because I wrote one too." Peeta admitted.

Prim gave him a winning smile. "So, I guess we have a few hours…" She swept the empty room with her gaze, as though there were a hundred people there. "Does anyone know the words to the Valley Song?"

Peeta blushed. "I should have warned you I was going to do that."

"Why  _did_  you do that?" Prim asked. "Being honest with Katniss is one thing. Why make it a national story?"

Peeta bit his lip. "I'm not a killer, Prim. Cato; you saw him? He's eager for it. We're not… We aren't going to win this thing by being worse than everyone else."

" _We_  aren't going to win this thing at all." Prim reminded him. "Only one Victor goes home."

"I know." Peeta admitted. "But The Arena is a big sacrificial slab. For them, entertainment is to see us carved up for parts. My fear is that if I go home, I'll have to leave the best parts of me behind in the Arena; and I won't be me anymore. I don't want to go home if it means I have to be Cato to do it."

"I get that. But what does that have to do with my sister?" Prim asked.

"I don't really know how to say it." Peeta admitted. "But I feel like the only way to protect my heart and soul is if I give them to the entire Capitol before I get anywhere near the Arena. I give them the heart of me now, completely… Once we're in there, the rest is just… Keeping on going as I have." Peeta shrugged. "If Katniss knows, it keeps me honest. If everyone knows, they will too."

Prim shook her head. "Is this one of those things I'm supposed to understand when I get older?"

Peeta laughed. "I hope so, because I look forward to figuring it out too." He looked back at the door, and closed it. "Hey, how'd you like some hot chocolate?"

"Sounds nice." Prim admitted. "But Haymitch says I should sleep."

"He said the same thing to me. You think he believes either of us will?"

Prim looked at her feet for a moment. "Cinna gave me some hot chocolate. He said if I ever have it again, to add mini-marshmallows." She looked awkwardly at Peeta. "I don't know what those are."

"Me neither." Peeta grinned. "But I bet we can get a truckload of them delivered here immediately if we asked."

Prim couldn't help a small smile spreading across her face.

* * *

The next morning, Peeta was met by Portia, who helped him into his 'uniform'. Haymitch came in as he dressed, with his perma-scowl on his face. "I guess I have you to thank for the  _two hundred pounds_  of mini-marshmallows that arrived at my room at 3AM last night?"

Peeta chuckled. "Prim and I decided to have a little fun before the Games began."

"Sure, because you really want all three of us to be sleep-deprived for this." Haymitch groused, looking over the uniform. "Good boots… Warm jacket. Expect some cold nights."

"Mm." Peeta agreed. "Fits better than anything I've ever worn. The boots are so perfect I don't think I'll even have to break them in. Think they'll let me keep it after?"

"Trust me, kid; you won't ever want to look at it again." Haymitch told him. "Remember, avoid the bloodbath at the start. Go for distance first. Find water. If you're unsure about food, don't eat it. If you want to make sure, watch what the other Tributes, and the other animals eat. It's not a certainty, but it's about 90% accurate."

Peeta nodded. "Portia, give me a sec?"

His Stylist nodded and stepped out.

Peeta gave Haymitch a look. "I just... I know most people have written us off, but you've taken us seriously. Thank you, for that."

Haymitch held out a hand flat. Just the tiniest tremble. "Three days, not a drop. I promise, I'll stay sober till this is over. As sober as I can before I start to get the shakes, anyway."

"It hasn't gone unnoticed. But... Haymitch, there's one last thing we need to discuss." Peeta said seriously. "I know you can only get one of us back alive, and… I want it to be her."

Haymitch glowered at him. "You think the odds are in her favor?"

"The odds aren't in any of our favors, or we wouldn't be here." Peeta said simply. "But I want Prim home safe."

Haymitch stared at hima long moment, calculating something, before realization hit; and he almost laughed. "Ohh… it wasn't an act, was it? The whole interview? You were serious!"

"I  _am_  serious." Peeta said evenly. "Prim goes home to Katniss."

"Look, straight up: That's never going to happen." Haymitch told him seriously. "You made a huge splash at the interviews, and all the Career Pack have been sending their handlers to feel me out about your position on Alliance. The reason is…"

"They know I'll have sponsors."

"You made some noise, you got some love. But nobody bets on the guy from Twelve. It just doesn't happen. They'll use your sponsors to get things, then cut you apart once the gifts arrive."

Peeta bit his lip. "Then my best bet of helping Prim is to join the pack until the field thins out."

"Look, kid…" Haymitch looked at him hard. "You want some mentoring advice? Stay alive, and find a girl who won't hate you for it. You win this thing, you'll have them beating the door down. You're my best shot in  _twenty three years_  to have company on the ride home. You win this thing, you'll learn fast how good a feeling that is. I've never had company on the ride home. Not once. Don't throw it away for a girl who, quite frankly, seems about as cuddly as an avalanche."

"Promise me that you'll send Prim whatever you can." Peeta said fiercely.

"I promise." Haymitch said with a sigh.

Peeta said nothing. He knew the old man was lying.

* * *

Next stop was the hovercraft. The Med-Tech implanted his tracker. "Cinna? What are you doing here?"

Cinna gave Peeta a practised look, and made an adjustment here and there to the uniform. "Portia felt that Prim might be more comfortable if a woman walked her in. She  _is_  twelve years old, after all."

"I guess that makes sense." Peeta let out a hard breath.

"Don't let the numbers intimidate you, Peeta." Cinna said warmly. "The average Victor engages four times or so. The wildcards? They can make it to the endgame with only two confrontations. Sometimes less."

"Cato's the problem." Peeta thought aloud. "He likes it. I've seen guys like him, in Peacekeeper uniforms. The ones that enjoy inflicting brutality."

Cinna nodded. "Try to avoid him."

"Are you kidding?" Peeta scoffed. "He's the whole point. Maybe the whole point of the entire Hunger Games, from the first Arena ever built."

Cinna blinked. "How so?"

"Cato likes to kill." Peeta said simply. "He's an eager piece in the Game. In a very unusual way, he's my only hope." He stepped onto the round platform, and held out a hand to Cinna. "Before I go, I just wanted to say thank you. For everything you've done, everything you've tried to do. It's… Most people have written off the Tributes from Twelve, year after year. You didn't. Thank you for that."

"I have faith, Storyteller." Cinna said with a grin. "Don't you ever forget that."

And with that, the plex came down between them.

* * *

The Arena was a nice meadow on one side, a lake on the other, with endless forest around the outside. Peeta couldn't see the end of the trees.

_Katniss would love it here._

Peeta scanned. The other Tributes were in a semi-circle. Prim was furthest away from him. Peeta scanned the area between them and the Cornucopia. Haymitch was right. It was usually a bloodbath there. All the weapons were assembled in the Cornucopia, lined up in neat, orderly patterns.

The meadow was full of packs and other gear, laid out in rings. The inner rings were weapons and survival gear. The outer rings were more varied.

_Find a source of water._  Peeta reminded himself of Haymitch's advice. There were only three canteens that he could see, all on the outer ring of packs. The lake was behind him.

" _ **Let the 74th Annual Hunger Games Begin!"**_

The Countdown was almost inaudible, over the roaring in his ears.  _This is it._

* * *

_This is it,_  Katniss thought.

"I thought Gale would be here." Mrs Everdeen commented.

Katniss was so close to the screen she was almost crawling into it. "He will be. He figures if people just stopped watching, the Games would stop too."

"You think that's likely?"

"I'd be happy to never watch another Games in my life." Katniss growled, eyes glued to Prim on the screen.

And the countdown finished. The Games were on, and Prim was running.

* * *

Peeta had snatched one of only three packs that held a Canteen, and run for the trees. The cannon had gone off a few times already. Prim had been at the opposite end of the row, which meant he would have to circle around a long way to find her again.

Peeta had been strategizing since his name was called at the Reaping. All of his plans suddenly seemed so fragile when actually in the trees.

He checked his pack. The canteen was empty.

* * *

Gale entered the Everdeen residence reluctantly. Mrs Everdeen waved him in. Katniss barely noticed him.

"Go back to Prim, dammit." Katniss hissed. Buttercup, coiled in the box Prim had made for him, hissed back at her reflexively.

"They'll put the cameras on Prim when there's something worth watching." Gale told her. "If she's not on screen, she's safe enough to not be sufficiently entertaining for them."

* * *

Half a day passed. Peeta kept walking.  _Find a source of water._

Peeta looked up at the chiming sound, and found the silver parachute floating down to him.

_A Sponsor Gift? So soon?_  Peeta thought, surprised.  _Was there something at the Cornucopia that I didn't get? Is Haymitch trying to tell me something?_

It was a small packet of water purification tablets; and a large piece of paper, wrapped around a flat pencil. The paper was marked, with a circle drawn, almost to the borders of the paper. Within the circle were small blue blotches; shaped and spread irregularly.

Peeta bit his lip. The Sponsors could send tactical gifts, but not instructions. Sending food and medicine was simple; but other tools took some deduction. The pencil indicated that Peeta needed to add something to the paper.  _But what?_

"So, anything interesting?"

Peeta spun and found Clove and Cato right behind him. He bolted, and ran almost straight to Glimmer's waiting sword. They had him circled; six of them, crowing and laughing. One look at Cato, and peeta knew: The Tributes that were interested in Alliance did not include Cato. The Boy from Two was going to kill him, and enjoy it.

And with a flash of insight, Peeta realized what Haymitch had sent him, and why.  _He's seeing this on TV. He knew the Career Pack was about to get me._

"Well, Loverboy." Cato smirked. "I'll send your girlfriend your regrets when I'm on my Victory Tour. Maybe I'll invite her to dinner, just for the hell of it!" He drew a wickedly curved blade, and raised it high to slash Peeta's face clean off-

"I can find water." Peeta put in swiftly.

Cato froze, calculating. The blade hovered, halfway to Peeta's face.

"Don't have any water canteens, do you?" Peeta said, and he started working things out as he spoke; trying to catch up his words with his thoughts. "The Cornucopia was nothing but weapons and food. You were looking at the centre items. I was looking at the outer edge. The bags with canteens? I only saw three. I've got one. Rue got another. The red haired girl got the third one, but mine was empty. I'm betting they all were. I'm betting that was the balance. Outer ring of gear got the water bottles; so those that didn't stay close for the bloodbath are the only ones that can carry a drink."

Clove made the point by picking up Peeta's canteen. Sure enough, it was empty.

"Why should I believe you can find water, when you clearly haven't found any?" Cato mocked him.

Peeta, moving slowly, held up the paper, and then the pencil. Without a word, Peeta smoothed the page flat, and started sketching with the pencil. Thin lines, close together, sure as a printed page. He didn't have to erase or try again. After a few moments, Peeta had filled in a section.

"It's a map." Clove said, surprised. "But how are you filling it in?"

Peeta pointed at the section he'd drawn. "This is the path I've taken."

"Elevation, landmarks…" Marvel examined the map. "You have it all committed to memory after one walk?"

"I'm good with those kinds of details." Peeta said honestly.

"He scored 100/100 for camouflage skills and detail observation." Clove put in to Cato. "Pretty high on Orienteering, too."

"A map is practically a painting." Peeta said, as though it explained everything. "The blue marks on the map? For water? They're there already. Just none of the places in between."

"So why do we need you?" Cato pressed.

Peeta held out the pencil and map without a word; daring him to take it. Everyone knew there was no way they could fill in the map accurately. Not as well as Peeta had shown them.

Cato glared. "Take us to water."

"No." Peeta said.

Cato jabbed him with the point of the sword. Just enough to break the skin. "I wasn't asking."

"And I'm not offering." Peeta stood firm and held up the pencil. "I can find water, and I will. But my price is membership in the Alliance. Without me, you don't last two days on a hunt. At least a few of the other Tributes know to avoid the lake; and they have Canteens. Without a canteen, you can't leave the lake. Without knowing where to find water as you go, you can't hunt them down."

Cato looked around carefully, as if weighing up the options. "We can just kill you and take the Canteen back to the lake."

"One canteen for six people? I see Survival Rations." Peeta countered, gesturing at the supplies they were carrying. "Pretty dry eating. You either find alternate food, or wash those meal bars down with something."

Cato and Glimmer traded a look.

"You were all going to have to deal with each other eventually." Peeta pushed.

Everyone in the Career Pack suddenly twitched. This was the unspoken secret of Alliance, but nobody said it out loud this soon. Everyone's hands drifted to weapons; getting position on each other, which gave Peeta some space.

Peeta kept his eyes on Cato. "You've already numbered them, right? You've already decided which ones matter, and in which order they're expendable; for when the numbers dwindle. Or have you prioritized them by how dangerous they are? The biggest risk to keep alive? I saw you in the interview. You don't need the help of people deadlier than you. Either way, give me the lowest man's spot in the team; and I'll lead you to water."

And Cato's eyes flicked straight to Marvel; the male Tribute from District One. He pointed his eyes back to Peeta instantly, aware that he'd tipped his hand, but too late.

Marvel read the glance instantly. "You miserable sack of-" He lunged at Cato, daggers flashing.

Cato met him halfway; and the battle was on. The blades flashed fast between them, and a quick splash of red followed. Peeta watched Cato the whole time. He put it all into the opening strike. It was a slash that was meant to kill right away. And it worked. Marvel dropped to his knees, clutching at the lifeblood that ran from his throat.

"Now." Cato told Peeta, licking his blade clean. "Let's go to water."

Marvel hadn't even fallen down yet, as the pack left him. They were twenty feet away before the Cannon went off.

* * *

"You see that?" Gale pointed at the screen. "Peeta was watching Cato's feet."

"What does that mean?" Katniss' mother asked.

Katniss nodded sagely. "It's what we do when hunting Deer. If their feet are right, they know you're there and they're ready to leap before you can draw the bow. If their feet are a different way, they're relaxed; and you can hit them before they can move."

"Peeta knows to watch for that?" Her mother mused. "What do you think?"

"I think… Cato fights like an executioner." Katniss decided. "One slash, move on. If Marvel had been able to survive that first strike, I have no idea what would have happened next, because Cato sure didn't. It's like Cato doesn't think it's possible for someone to survive his first lunge."

"Nobody has yet." Gale pointed out. "He's eighteen. He went from polite conversation to homicide in less time than it took Marvel to put his fists up." He glowered at the screen. "If Cato had aimed an inch higher, Marvel never would have known what hit him. Cato picked a blow that was fatal, but made Marvel suffer while he died."

"Cato's a Career. Spent his life preparing for this,  _wanting_  this, fighting for this. He's living his dream right now, and his dream is to kill twenty three people who are younger than him; then dine out on the story for the rest of his life." Katniss shook her head. "But if Peeta can avoid starving to death, he might be a contender."

Her mother looked over. "How so?"

Gale said it for her. "Wrestling. He took it up when his older brothers started tormenting him. Peeta's wrassled guys bigger and stronger than him since he was twelve years old. Came in second place last year, during the school competition."

"You should see him tossing those huge sacks of flour around at the bakery." Katniss added. "What do they weigh? Fifty pounds? A hundred?"

Gale twitched. "Didn't know you were watching."

Katniss gave him a look. "I… Spent some time around the bakery a few years ago, trying to work up the nerve to go inside. This was back before we started hunting together."

"Really." Gale said, voice flat.

"Steady, you two." Mrs Everdeen commented. "The further Peeta goes in this competition, the more likely he runs into Prim."

That thought chilled Katniss to her core, but only for a moment. "He won't hurt Prim." She said with certainty. "Because he knows that if he so much as uses harsh language in her direction, I will personally  _murder_  him the second he gets back, Victor or not."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're off!
> 
> The thinking in this chapter is that Haymitch picked Katniss as the winner in Canon. Without her, Peeta is the current favorite. All his strategic advantages, such as artistic and creative ability, wrestling experience, and public speaking skills? All backed up in the books and movies. I hope to keep everyone in character.
> 
> Read and Review! (My thanks to everyone who did so for the last chapter)


	3. Changing The Odds

The Games were in their sixteenth hour. Katniss hadn't slept for two days, glued to the screen. Gale sat with her. He tried to offer her comfort, but she didn't even seem to be aware of him. It was as though she could physically keep Prim safe if she stared hard enough at the screen.

"I still can't believe Peeta joined the Career Pack." Gale observed.

Mama Everdeen was in her chair, watching. She wasn't as fierce about it as Katniss, dozing occasionally when the action lulled. "I can." She yawned. "But while I don't know Peeta that well, I know his father. If he's inherited his father's patience, then I think he's got a trick up his sleeve."

Gale looked over. "That story he told, about you and Mister Mellark. Is it true?"

Katniss twitched, though she didn't look over. Mama Everdeen pretended she hadn't noticed. "He made one last attempt, a few days before my wedding. But I was far too in love to consider… Well, we all have a road not travelled." She looked at Gale, then back to Katniss, then back to Gale. "Don't we?"

* * *

_"Very exciting, Panem! The bookmakers have recalculated the odds in the wake of the surprise Alliance inclusion of District 12 Tribute, Peeta Mellark. For more on this, we have Capitol Bookmaster, Londo Rooney. Londo?"_

_"Thank you, Ceaser. It's not uncommon for Alliances to form among the more privileged Districts. As a result, it's not uncommon for the 'long odds Tributes' to team up; out of a simple lack of options. It's never made a difference before."_

_"Before? So it has now?"_

_"Peeta Mellark's invitation to join the other Alliance is almost unheard of."_

_"With the chatter after his Interviews, a lot of the more recusant Sponsors have taken an interest in this one. They rarely send sponsor gifts to anyone but wildcards; and even then, usually to make Bookmakers like you tear their hair out. Hahahaha."_

_"Tell me about it, Ceaser. Wealthy, time-rich people who like to make folk like me scramble. I usually content myself with the knowledge that they never win, betting on the longshot. This is the Hunger Games. The Capitol always knows who the real winners are."_

_"Londo, I'm going to have to stop you there! It looks like our two Allied Tribute Groups are about to test their mettle against each other!"_

* * *

Cato crouched next to the thin metal wire. "It's a snare." He said. "Not one of ours." He followed the line without touching it. "Hooks up higher in those trees. It's a trap for someone who doesn't want to walk around ground level to get their dinner."

 _Rue._  Peeta thought.

"There!" Clove shouted, pointing. Rue and Prim suddenly lurched out of the bushes, knowing they'd been spotted.

Like a wolfpack on rabbits, the Careers gave chase.

"Prim." Peeta breathed, and started running.

* * *

Katniss was on her feet, bouncing off the walls, as Prim and Rue sprinted for their lives towards the trees.

The career pack gave chase. Beside her, Gale was leaning close, looking for Peeta, who wasn't fast enough to get in Cato or Glimmer's way. "Cato will do it. The other Careers will be content to let him. They aren't as eager."

"Cato's the most eager killer I've seen in the Games for a long time." Mama Everdeen commented darkly, as Rue and Prim bolted up a tree.

Katniss nudged Gale. "I taught her that." She told him. "I told her what to look for so that she could pick a tree that she'd be light enough to climb, and nobody could chase her without falling."

Sure enough, the next few minutes passed with the Careers each trying to climb the tree and failing. Ceaser played the most amusing pratfalls a few times on a loop, with sound effects. Peeta didn't try. Cato and Glimmer stood back and ordered the others to try again.

But there was no way to slice it. Rue and Prim were trapped at the top of a tree.

* * *

"Chop the tree down." Glimmer told Cato.

"That axe is for combat, not for woodchopping. You'll ruin the blade before the tree even quivers." Peeta countered. "Besides, Rue is from Eleven. Agriculture. We saw her climb in the training grounds. Smart money says she can jump from branch to branch. You spend half an hour trying to fell one tree, and she's in another before you can shout 'Timber'."

"What about Prim? I bet she'd be slower." Glimmer countered.

"I think that's what Loverboy is antsy about." Cato said, eyes on Peeta. "Set up camp, right here. It'll e dark soon, and we can wait them out for one night." He told his people. "I'll take the first watch. Anyone get any matches?"

"Fire is too risky." Peeta said automatically. "Or so Haymitch taught me."

"That drunk taught you how to be hunted. You're part of the Pack now, Mellark." Cato said savagely. "Avoiding campfires is a job for prey."

As if to answer him there was a ringing sound; and a silver parachute dropped. A sponsor gift.

Cato caught it before it hit ground. The Number Twelve was displayed on top. "It's for Mellark." He sent a look back at the sky. "That's doubles for the guy from Twelve. Not feeling the love here, Two!"

* * *

_"Breaking news, Gamers! Peeta Mellark, from District Twelve, has received his second Sponsor gift! It looks like… well, this is a surprise. It's a camp-stove and what looks an awful lot like a spice rack."_

_"Well, Ceaser; we know from previous games that some spices have medicinal, or even combat applications. Don't forget the 50th games; where practically everything was secretly toxic. Though I have to admit, this is the sort of cookout gear that someone carries when they're luxury camping. No fuel cell or gas cylinder, of course. That'd never make it past the Gamemakers. But the utensils will make it much easier for Mellark to feed himself; and even do so comfortably."_

_"An odd choice, from Haymitch Abernathy. I've never seen such a… luxury get sent into the Arena before. Sending a feast isn't new. Sending a kitchenette? Unheard of. Maybe we should get Haymitch up here? He's been a Victor for more than twenty years, and never been on our show."_

_"If you do, make it fast. Happy Hour is almost on us."_

_"Hahahaha! Claudius, you're horrible!"_

* * *

Within minutes, Peeta was at the campfire. The Sponsor gift had a pot big enough to serve everyone, if not enough for seconds. Peeta had been experimenting with the foodstuffs everyone had secured; and turned up his nose at them. A few minutes later, his little camp kitchen was set up at the campfire; and he was working the survival rations, mixing portions, and adding herbs from the Sponsors, and roots and berries from the Arena.

"Capitol Food not up to your usual standards, Loverboy?" Clove mocked him.

"Well, I figure if you're going to make 'hunger' a factor, you may as well beat the odds with some class. What did they leave you? MRE's, some fruits and breads? You either have something filling, or something that tastes good." Peeta said lightly. "Haymitch was generous, but I didn't need half these things. The whole larder is right here." Peeta gestured around. "Some of these roots aren't all that good; but you boil them up? They add starch to the water, which thickens the gravy. Those leaves over there? Edible in small amounts, but too toxic in a steady diet. But you grind them up, and it'd be as good as this shaker of salt. With two pots and some cups to work with; I can whip something up." He took a bite. "Not bad. Not bad at all."

"Twelve, what do you think this is? A restaurant?" Glimmer demanded, taking the spoon from him automatically. "The goal is to stay alive, not- _ohmysweetsavory_ , that is amazing!" She tilted back the mug of spiced stew that Peeta had given her and nearly inhaled it.

And that was all the others needed to hear, gathering around quickly. For all the talk about District Twelve Tributes being 'soft and weak', most of the Careers ate pretty well back home. Hardtack Rations and hunger were not things they were accustomed to.

* * *

The cameras caught the moment Cato passed the watch off to Peeta. But the Gamemakers had an angle that Peeta didn't see. Katniss strained her ears, but couldn't hear what Cato said to Glimmer. But the cameras saw his lips move; and kindly put up subtitles. " _Don't trust Peeta. He'd let them get away. Don't let him take the watch alone. And if he tries something, kill him."_

Katniss felt her gaze harden. Prim was settled in for the night, huddled with Rue for warmth.

"You should sleep." Gale said in her ear. "I'll watch a little longer, wake you if anything happens."

"You really think I'm going to sleep tonight?" Katniss retorted. "What did you make of the Sponsor gift?"

"You can't put messages in Sponsor Gifts. And even if you could, Peeta's surrounded. I think Haymitch is trying to tell Peeta something, without actually being able to say something."

"I agree." Katniss nodded. "Haymitch was telling him to be popular with the Careers. They've never had to chew hard on their food before; and they didn't like being limited to survival rations. Making Peeta their chef made him likeable to them."

"Enough that Glimmer will keep him alive when Cato gets frustrated. At least, for a while."

"Peeta already played Cato and Marvel into a fight. Think he can do that again, fourteen more times?"

* * *

Glimmer sat the watch with Peeta, but her eyes were drooping. Halfway into their watch, she had fallen asleep.

Peeta's eyes flicked up the tree. As if waiting for the look, a shadow detached from the high branches and snuck down silently.

It was Rue.

Peeta glanced at Glimmer. There was no way to get up without waking her. Peeta gestured back up the tree, then at Rue, then out into the night. The signal was clear:  _You and Prim can get away_.

Rue shook her head, and crept silently to the pot, tossing something into the mixture. She made eye contact with Peeta, gestured at the pot. She mimed eating, and made a big 'no' gesture; before creeping back to the tree.

The whole thing was done in a few minutes, and without a word being spoken aloud. Peeta crept over to the Pot and poked at the remains of the feast; trying to figure out what she had done to it.

"What's going on?"

Peeta jumped, and looked. Glimmer had shaken off her doze, eyes flicking guiltily to Cato.

"I won't tell him you slept." Peeta promised.

"I wasn't asleep." The beautiful girl hissed quickly, gripping her weapons. "But did I miss anything?"

"Nope." Peeta kept his eyes on the pot. If he'd had to look her in the eye, she would have known he was lying. "But I thought, since the coals are still hot, I could get a jump on breakfast; let it slow-cook. Less smoke, won't need much firewood."

"Mm." Glimmer settled again. "What are we having?"

"Mostly, what we had for dinner." Peeta admitted.  _Plus whatever Rue added to the pot._

Glimmer shivered at the thought of falling asleep on Watch. Being well fed after a full day in the Arena had lulled her. To keep herself awake, she spoke quietly. "Dinner was amazing. You'd have made a good baker." She said softly, to not wake the others. "And you were right about freshwater. You've proven to be the most useful one in the group."

"With a little help from Haymitch." Peeta said softly back.

"My Mentors all told me not to worry about you or Haymitch. They figured he'd be dead drunk by now." Glimmer yawned. "If I'd known you'd be such a wildcard, I'd have spent more time with you in Training."

"Don't let Cato hear you say that. He still thinks you were sleeping with him because he was just that good looking." Peeta joshed her.

"And here I thought I was being discreet." Glimmer smouldered. "Back in One, blonde hair and long legs is all you need. You lead a man by the balls just right, you can put a knife between his ribs and he'll thank you for it. I figured there's no reason the rules would be different in the Capitol. They haven't been so far."

Glimmer had her back to him, but Peeta caught the moment Cato's eyes opened a little. He'd heard every word; feigning sleep; but with her focus on Peeta, she hadn't noticed.

"Cato never would have seen you coming." Peeta said softly to Glimmer, as though they were in on a great secret.

"He still won't." Glimmer promised; and settled back. She yawned widely again, still fighting sleep. "Screw this. I'm tired. It's close enough to someone else's turn for the watch."

She shifted over, and lay against Cato. He was still faking sleep; and she pushed at his cheek with her nose. Adorable, desirable, irresistible…

Cato's arms went around her warmly, and she hummed as she settled in beside him for sleep. Cato's eyes opened slowly, making eye-contact with Peeta over her shoulder as his arm tightened further… and further. Glimmer casually tried to wriggle a bit of room for herself, but she couldn't, and she suddenly realized she was in trouble.

Peeta didn't move, the only witness as Cato pinned Glimmer down with his body, covered her mouth with one hand... and slid a knife into her ribs with the other, practically in slow motion. There was almost no sound; almost no movement.

The Cannon went off; and everyone was awake instantly.

"What happened?!" They all demanded at the same moment, when they saw Glimmer was the only one not getting up.

"She was trying to steal food." Peeta said immediately, pointing at the cooking pot. "She was trying to steal food, and Cato caught her."

The Pack traded looks, weighing that. Stealing food was the Cardinal Sin, even in the Capitol. It wasn't uncommon in Career Packs for there to be casualties before the official 'breaking' of the Alliances. Cato and Glimmer's fling in the Training Centre was a badly kept secret, so this was shocking enough that nobody believed it. But nobody was willing to call Cato on it.

 _Besides,_  Peeta thought.  _Cato being a cold-blooded killer is not a surprise, is it?_

Even so, nobody was going to sleep again tonight. Everyone gripped their weapons, watching each other, and Cato especially, with deep suspicion. Peeta glanced up the tree. Prim had woken from the cannon, but they weren't moving. They'd be sleeping better than anyone on the ground.

"We can't leave this spot without letting the girls escape. Twelve, take Glimmer far enough away that the Hovercraft will come for her." Cato said flatly, staring everyone down. "Don't worry, I won't let anyone touch the food before breakfast."

Peeta set his jaw to the unpleasant task, but Cato and the Careers said nothing as he carried the body away.

* * *

"Two down." Katniss observed. The first words she and Gale had spoken to each other all night.

"And we still don't know what Rue did to the cooking pot." Gale commented back. "The good news is, with all the cold-blooded killers watching each other, nobody's going to worry about Prim until morning."

Katniss groaned. "I agree, but I still won't be able to sleep." She looked over. "Isn't Hazel wondering where you are?"

"Mom knows where I am." Gale shrugged.

Katniss clocked the answer but didn't respond. She didn't want to think about that.

* * *

_"Well, loyal viewers; if you're still with us at this time of night; you must be like me; unable to look away from the thrilling Hunger Games action! Last night's shock elimination of the female Tribute from District One detonated the odds again; as did the actions of District Eleven Tribute, little Rue. Oddsmakers are watching for the dawn with bated breath. I'm here with Hunger Games Herbalist, Gigi Fitgerald. Gigi, is it fair to say that you pick which plants go in the Arena?"_

_"We all contribute, Ceaser; but final say rests with me. It's always a balancing act between dangerous things, and helpful things. The cunning Tribute knows how to take advantage of both. And Nightlock is one of the more crafty poisonous berries you'll find in the Hunger Games Garden. Almost identical to some of the tastier berries on sight. Little Rue is to be commended for both recognizing the dangerous properties of the Nightlock; and doing more than just avoiding it."_

_"In fact she's weaponizing it, right now. Do you think this is a strategy that involves Peeta Mellark? After all, that cooking pot was a Sponsor Gift, selected by District Twelve Mentor, Haymitch Abernathy; and Rue has allied herself with the female Tribute from District Twelve."_

_"Obviously, I defer to the Games strategists on such a ruling; but if it's a plan, it's a very clever one. Mellark provided a feast, earlier in the evening, and nobody's going to suspect a double-cross now. Cooking the berries won't destroy the Poison, but it may delay the deadly effects by a few minutes. Enough that the poison won't show until everyone has eaten. But I will say this: If Peeta isn't in on the plan, he may yet take a bite of the stew himself come breakfast. Don't count out the youngest competitor this year."_

_"I just hope nobody goes looking for a midnight snack. This'll be an exciting moment, and scheduled just in time for the morning Prime Time."_

_"Oh, Ceaser; do you think anyone's sleeping through a Games like this?"_

_"I'm certainly not! Bring on the caffeine! Ahahahaha! Love it!"_

* * *

Dawn came, and Cato was up, knife drawn. His first glance was up to the tree; where Rue and Prim were still asleep, huddled together for warmth. "They're still there." He told the pack. "Enough of this. Let's burn the tree. Set a fire at the base, smoke'em down."

"Can we eat first?" Clove yawned.

"Breakfast is on." Peeta nodded; and everyone crowded around quickly, scooping mouthfuls, straight from the pot.

Peeta handed Cato the only mug that came with the stove, a portion of the stew already in it. Everyone else was eating eagerly, direct from the pot. They were crowing up at the youngest Tributes, who were waking up at the sound. Rue's eyes went to the pot, then to Peeta.

"Hey, Twelve?" Cato said quietly, not looking up at them. "You want to know what I think?"

Peeta looked up at him. "What?"

"I think that you're the only one here not eating." Cato said silkily.

"Chef always eats after the others have been served. You're from Two. Don't they have restaurants there?"

Cato said nothing to that, setting down his food, untouched.

And then Clove started to gag.

Cato was up and lunging for Peeta instantly. Peeta was already running. The rest of the career pack was choking, trying to cough up whatever was in their food; but too late.

The chase went on for ten seconds before they reached Rue's snare. Though he'd spotted it the day before, Cato was in a hurry this time and didn't see it. The homicidal Career was promptly upside down. His head hit a rock as he went head-over-heels, and the warrior from Two was suddenly out cold, his snared ankle strung tightly enough to bleed.

Peeta paused, breathing hard. Cato was swinging from the snare, helpless. For a split second, Peeta looked at the rock Cato had hit his head against. A few seconds, a few swift blows...

Peeta hesitated... and walked back toward the tree; as the Cannon went off again, over and over. "Prim! Rue! We gotta move!" He called.

* * *

"What the hell?!" Katniss demanded of the screen. "W-" She rubbed her eyes and looked again. "Is Cato breathing?"

"He is." Gale confirmed. "Look! He's already coming around."

"Then what is Peeta doing?!"

"I… don't know."

* * *

_"Oh! And The Mighty Pixie from District Eleven comes out of nowhere, with an instant kill count of five! This puts her in the lead! She warned us in the interviews not to count her out; and she has now taken out more than two thirds of the heavy favorites! Back with us now, Capitol Bookmaster, Londo Rooney. Londo?"_

_"I'll be honest with you, Ceaser; the odds are wrecked. All the standard or traditional Alliances are destroyed, and some of the heaviest wagers have just been lost. The Longshot Tributes are at the top of the scoreboard."_

_"Does this change your opinion on whether or not Mellark was part of the Eleven/Twelve Alliance from the start?"_

_"If he was, the strategy worked perfectly; and we have to assume Peeta sparing Cato's life is just another stage in the strategy. If he wasn't in on it, he's the luckiest kid who ever missed a meal!"_

_"HAHA! I Love It! Never a dull moment in the Hunger Games!"_

* * *

Rue and Prim were thrilled to see Peeta. The younger Everdeen saw him coming, and ran to give him a tight hug. He hugged her back tightly. "You're Safe!" They both exclaimed at the same time, and started laughing.

Rue had already collected some gear and weapons from the dead Careers, and they all agreed to get moving as the hovercraft came for the bodies. The three of them walked for a few hours, getting some distance. Peeta led them to water, and they drank their fill, then filled their canteens. Rue was able to find food, Prim was harvesting plants left and right. They were all armed and carrying food, a Career Pack themselves now.

They walked for most of the day, scrambling over rocks and streams. They were making he circut from one water source to another, knowing that Cato couldn't follow without a Canteen of his own.

* * *

"You look sad, Peeta." Prim observed. "Last I checked, we were winning."

Peeta sent a quick look to Rue. "Kid… I'd do anything to protect you two; you know that. But I didn't know you were poisoning the pot."

Rue shrugged. "It worked."

"Rue…" Peeta said quietly. "The killing changes things. Changes you."

Rue looked up at him. "I know. It's happened in Eleven too."

She was talking about the executions. The sort that could change a whole District. Prim cleared her throat carefully. A subtle reminder that they weren't the only ones in this conversation. Rue got the point and changed the subject to something light and distracting for the Capitol Audience. "Hey, Peeta?" She asked brightly. "That story you told, about your father. Was it true?"

Peeta flushed a bit. "Every word."

"Too bad."

Prim looked over at her Ally. "You wanted it to be made up?"

"I like stories." Rue excused. "The made-up ones always have the happy endings." She looked back and forth between Peeta and Prim. "Somehow, I don't think that's on the cards here."

Peeta and Prim traded an awkward look. She wasn't wrong about that.

"Anyway. We should find somewhere to set up a camp." Peeta said finally.

"I got a true story with a happy ending." Prim offered. "About 'The Boy With The Bread'."

Peeta looked at her in shock. "Katniss told you about that?"

"She did." Prim smiled, and started telling Rue, though everyone knew she was really telling the audience. "Years ago, when I was small-"

"Right. 'Was'." Peeta scoffed quietly.

"-we were in a bad way. It was after our father died, but before Katniss could sign up for Tesserae. The food had run out, and we were starving. Not hungry. Starving. To death." Prim shivered. "I still remember the way Katniss looked when she went for food. She bundled up everything we had, from my old baby clothes to dad's shoes, and took them out to try and trade for food. But it was pouring rain, and nobody was trading. Katniss couldn't come home without something for us to eat; and there was just nothing. We weren't the only ones starving in Twelve that week." She grinned at Peeta.

"Nope." Peeta shook his head, smiling back. "This is your story."

Prim giggled. "Well, Katniss had hit up everyone she could think of, and had nothing. So she went to the local Bakery. The baker's wife threw her out of the store, so Katniss went around to their bins, looking for anything halfway edible in the garbage. Mrs Mellark ran her off, and Katniss was so weak from hunger at that point, after giving me all her food for a week-"

"Oh, I knew it." Peeta scorned at that.

"So Katniss could only get about as far as the bakery's back fence. Then she heard Peeta getting chewed out by his mom, for  _burning_  two large loaves of bread. Just a bit scorched on top, but it meant you couldn't sell them at a bakery. So Peeta is ordered to toss the useless loaves to the pigs out back."

"Our bakery shared space with the butcher." Peeta explained to Rue. "We traded our bread for his meat."

Prim smiled at the next part. "Then the hero of this story, already sporting a sweet shiner across his face for burning the bread, makes his way out back… and throws Katniss enough bread to keep three Everdeens alive for a few days."

Peeta pulled his head in a bit at the two of them, smiling at him. "Anyone would have done it."

"Your mom didn't." Prim countered instantly. "Anyway, it kept us alive, and then the rain stopped and we noticed some wild Katniss plants had sprouted." She winked at Rue. "Dad named us after wildflowers that were edible. Said, 'as long as we could find ourselves, we'd never go hungry'. That kept us going until Katniss could sign up for Tesserae."

"I wanted to go talk to her the next day." Peeta confessed. "But I figured, if she didn't want to talk about it; my pushing it would only make it worse."

"It wasn't that she wasn't grateful. It was that she couldn't pay you back." Prim told him. "Katniss hates to owe people anything. Even me and mom. And something like this? How could she make it up to you?"

"I did get paid back for the bread." Peeta countered. "I got to see her again, alive."

"And if you'd said so, she'd have decked you." Prim said simply. "Rule Number One about the Everdeen girls. You can't ask more of us than we're willing to give already."

"Including you?" Peeta couldn't help but ask.

"Can't say. Nobody's tried to tell me 'no' yet." Prim admitted. "Well, except for the Reaping, of course."

"I can believe that." Peeta agreed. "Rue, what are you staring at?"

"I think there's a cave, or something… Under there." Rue scampered forward, and pushed her way past a bush. "Yup. Cave. Big enough for all of us!" She stuck her head back out. "Doesn't look like anything else has been living in here. And it's dry."

"Good enough." Peeta agreed, and pulled back the bush for Prim. The three of them spent a few moments arranging some cover to the entrance, and arranging their gear. "If Cato finds us, I go out first." Peeta said to them seriously. "He decides to smoke us out, we've only got one entrance. I risk it before either of you do."

They both nodded.

"So, your turn, Rue." Peeta yawned. "Tell us a story."

"Back home, I knew this girl once. She worked in the Ghettos, over on the poor side of town; y'know?"

"Sure. In Twelve we call it The Seam." Prim nodded.

"Well, in the Ghetto back home, there are rules about work hours. You miss ten minutes, your ration gets docked." Rue told them. "But I heard this one girl; she had smuggled in a book. Punishable by a month hard labor. So she would skip sleep to memorize a page; and then she'd walk up and down the Ghetto, quietly telling a dozen people the story. She was a hero there, until they caught her reading."

"What happened to her?" Peeta asked.

"We don't ask those questions." Rue said plainly. "But she was halfway through a story. None of us know how it ended, so we sorta took turns making things up. I have no idea what my version was going to be." Rue made a face. "Lucky for me I was reaped before it got to my turn. I'm not much of a storyteller."

"If not stories, what is your thing?" Peeta asked lightly.

Rue didn't hesitate. "Music."

"Yeah?"

Rue gestured at Prim's pin. "It's why I decided to partner with Prim. I like Mockingjays. We use them to signal to each other during the workday back home."

Peeta sat down against the cave with a grateful groan. "Sing us a song, Rue." He yawned. "And then I think we should get some sleep."

Rue didn't sing. She whistled. Four tones, in a cute little musical arrangement. Outside, a tree full of Mockingjays sang it back.

Prim smiled in wonder, and whistled the same tune. The Mockingjays answered again.

Peeta flushed. "I can't whistle." He confessed. "Weird thing, I know, but I've never succeeded in blowing a single note."

"Really?" Prim found that hilarious for some reason.

Peeta put his lips together and tried to whistle a note… and what came out was a gust of air, barely audible, completely atonal.

The girls giggled, and Peeta did it again, hamming it up just to make them laugh.

* * *

"Rue and Prim can feed themselves. Peeta's with them. They're in for the night." Gale said in her ear. "Even Cato is asleep."

Katniss was barely conscious, upright through sheer willpower; eyes glued on the screen. Gale reached out one finger, and pushed her shoulder gently. At the end of her strength, she went over easily. Gale scooped her up and carried her to her bedroll. She used it while out hunting in the woods, and had set it up for herself in front of the Screen.

"Wake me if anything happens." She murmured.

"I promise."

She felt him move away and flashed a hand out to catch him. "Stay?"

"I will."

* * *

The Games had settled into a lull at last. They were not uncommon. The Commentators had plenty of carnage to work with, plenty of things to talk about while the Survivors regrouped. The Gamemakers created rain, heavy enough to keep everyone in cover for a while. Those that had been losing to dehydration drank deeply. The loss of the Career Pack made the Gamemakers take mercy on the stronger, but thirsty, survivors.

Cato returned to the lake, and ate hearty from the supplies. The Career Pack was all but gone. He had more than enough for himself, and the one member of the Career pack; left to guard the supplies. The Capitol experts mentioned that Cato's foodstuffs were all survival rations. Dry, tasteless, and unappealing. Peeta had recovered his spice rack, and Rue was a good forager. Prim had learned enough from Katniss to work a slingshot, and Peeta kept them fed comfortably in their cave, the rain making them isolated enough to risk a fire.

With Cato and the boy from five barely speaking, and the other survivors all holed up alone; the camera spent a lot of time on the Twelve/Eleven Alliance. They were entertaining each other with stories and songs; and the audience ate it up. They'd never had anything like this before. There was no hint of restrained violence between the three most unlikely of Contenders.

There was some talk from the commentators that Peeta's recipes would make a fine cookbook in the Capitol Bookstores; or that Rue might have a fine singing career if she won. Ceasar reported that stuffed toy Mockingjays that sang Rue's tune when squeezed were now selling in all Capitol Stores, and they were simply flying off the shelves.

The experts picked apart combat styles, and the odds shifted. Cato finally received a sponsor gift. More weapons. A subtle reminder from his Mentors that he'd better get hunting again, because the audience had been without violence for almost two days, and his quarry wasn't starving to death like they were supposed to.

Katniss woke up after a long rest and discovered she was on the sleeping cot that Gale had been using since the Games started. She hadn't woken up when he moved her. Her mother hadn't remarked on the fact that he'd moved in until the Games were over. His own family hadn't come looking for him, which meant they already knew where he was.

It was another thought that Katniss wasn't willing to think on just yet.

Then, on the third day, the stalemate broke.

* * *

"The rain has finally stopped." Peeta told the girls as they woke up.

Rue nodded. "We should shift our camp. We've trod the ground around here pretty thoroughly, picked all the bushes clean. The rain has washed our tracks away, but with all the rain, we don't need to be here for drinking water."

They climbed out of the cave. The rain had given the air a fresh, clean smell. "Huh. It's a beautiful day." Rue commented.

"Hey, don't get relaxed, cutie." Peeta reminded her. "We've spent two days eating, telling stories, and singing campfire songs; but don't think this is a camping trip. Eyes open, always."

* * *

They walked for a few hours, until they made their way to a river, with heavy rocks on each side.

"What do you think?" Prim asked. "With the river, there'd be caves or overhangs around. Enough to hide in."

"We'll have to find a good one." Peeta agreed. "What about food?"

"All around us." Prim said easily, and led the way over to some bushes. She pulled at the wildflowers on the branches, and paused. "Here!"

The other two came over. Prim had discovered a new cave. Peeta edged his way into it ahead of them. "Looks perfect." He reported. "Ignore the bushes at the front. They're cover."

"My dad kept this book. He was putting together and encyclopedia of plants that were edible, medicinal… Katniss and I were helping him, bringing in plants. My sister taught me to forage all the time." Prim reported. "I've seen some of them here in the arena."

"Get as many of them as you can." Rue agreed. "I've seen nuts and pine cones in the trees. They're edible if you've got a decent cook." She grinned at Peeta. "And we've got you, so…"

Peeta chuckled. "Don't go too far."

Rue went to the trees and just went straight up the nearest one like a squirrel. Prim smiled up at her ally and went by the river. Peeta got to work on the entrance to their new cave, gathering branches and vines to create a concealment for the entrance-

A twig snapped behind him. Peeta spun instantly to face it. "Girls, RUN!" He shouted before he even saw what it was.

There was an explosion of noise from the bushes as Thresh emerged, lunging faster than Peeta's eyes could follow. Thresh missed the smaller blur up above as Rue leaped from one tree to another, heading for the river to join Prim.

 _Thresh didn't see Rue._  Peeta thought as his hands came up.  _Would that matter?_

Thresh was reaching for Peeta's throat, and Peeta caught his wrists. It was clear the bigger boy was improvising. He'd been waiting for a moment when he'd stepped on that twig unexpectedly.

Thresh knew Peeta was trying to flip him, and the two grappled for a moment, trying to force the other onto the back foot...

"Peeta! HELP!"

Peeta froze, releasing Thresh instantly. _Prim?_

Prim and Rue were down at the turn in the river. And Cato already had Rue by the throat.

Thresh saw it too. He suddenly forgot all about Peeta.  _"RUE!"_  He screamed, and for a moment, Peeta wondered if Rue had a sister too.

* * *

Katniss was bouncing off the walls, completely feral as the horror show played out on screen. Peeta and Thresh were suddenly allies, trying to get to the youngest competitors in the games.

She let out a breath when Cato tossed Rue aside. The smallest Tribute went rolling, and Prim hauled her ally up, the two of them running for cover. Cato didn't even look after them. Thresh was faster than Peeta, and hit Cato like a missile. The impact was heavy enough to make Katniss wince, even over the screen.

* * *

_"Oh! Now that's a charge! Let's see that again on Instant Replay!"_

" _What's really amazing is that Cato seemed to be ready for it, Ceaser! There's no question this was a trap. Rue and Prim are already clear."_

" _Every District sends two Tributes. Using one to bait the other is a time-honored tactic, but you don't often see it this late in the lineup! Losing more than half the heavy favorites so quickly upended the usual patterns completely."_

" _There it is! Thresh is down! Cato baited him perfectly!"_

" _Wait! What is Peeta doing?!"_

* * *

Peeta caught a glimpse of Rue and Prim going up a tree again, and hurried to the scene of battle. He got there just in time to see Cato move, quick as a rattlesnake, and deliver a right cross that Thresh practically charged into. The strike was so quick that there was no way Cato hadn't planned it to work exactly that way.

Thresh was stunned by the blow, seeing six of everything. Cato crowed happily, and drew his blade…

And that was when Peeta hit him. Cato had been expecting Thresh. He didn't expect Thresh to have help; and was caught off guard.

* * *

"He should have held back." Gale hissed. "He should have let Cato and Thresh soften each other up more."

Katniss shook her head, glued to the fight. "We agreed that Cato put everything into the first strike. Peeta avoided that by hitting him before he was done with Thresh. It's a straight fight now."

"A straight fight on rock and river." Gale added. "Peeta's a wrestler. First one to fall loses."

* * *

Cato was trying to swing at Peeta side-on. Peeta had hit him from the side, and he couldn't get enough force, swinging outward sideways instead of straight ahead. All he could do was jab. Peeta took half a dozen blows, but not enough to break his hold. Peeta finally got a grip on Cato's arm, and turned into it, enough to flip Cato over his shoulder, and flip him over  _hard_. The rock they fought on was enough that Cato was concussed by the blow, eyes rolling in opposite directions.

Gasping for air, Peeta coughed, sniffing back the blood leaking from his nose. He looked left. Thresh was gone, vanished into thin air.

Peeta looked back to Cato, still alive, moaning incoherently. Peeta looked around, and picked up a rock. He looked up to the sky, and brought the rock down hard… an inch to Cato's left. Peeta looked back to the sky for a long moment. The Message was clear:  _I could have done it. I didn't._

Cato tried to reach up, and failed, the concussion making him vomit. Peeta turned the warrior over, so that he wouldn't choke. "Don't you die on me, big man." He told Cato. "We aren't finished yet, you and me."

Peeta rose and started moving, looking for Prim and Rue.

He didn't see what the cameras did. Thresh had not gone far.

* * *

Katniss was in a combat crouch, like she was ready to leap into the arena herself. "Don't fall for that! Don't fall for that!"

"He's falling for that." Gale was physically holding her back by the shoulder. "Thresh is stalking him."

"Trying to find his supplies, his allies… And he's going to lead the guy straight back to Prim." Katniss hissed. "And why the hell won't he just end Cato?! Two chances. District Twelve Tributes don't get onechance, usually."

"You know what I think?" Her mother commented. "I think Peeta believes he can't win the Games straight up. I think he's winning attention and supporters and Sponsors. I think he's doing what he does: He's crafting a story. An Underdog winning is good. A nemesis story? A tragic romance? A grudge match that everyone has a side in? That's something people will talk about. Nobody bets on the guy from Twelve; but Peeta's building an ending that will have people cheering him on, even if they wagered against him."

"He doesn't need to play on anyone's sympathies." Katniss objected. "Cato's the heavy favorite, and Peeta's had him cold  _twice_. How does letting him go help Peeta survive?"

"I didn't say it would help Peeta survive. I said it would help him win." Her mother shot back.

"It's the Hunger Games. Surviving is winning." Katniss blinked, unable to process that.

"No, it isn't." Gale said quietly. "Not for Peeta."

It took Katniss a full ten seconds to work it out, reliving what he had told her before he left. And then she remembered a few days before, when she had said it herself: If Peeta opposed Prim's survival in any way, she'd kill him.

 _And Peeta surely knows that._  Katniss sank into herself, suddenly overwhelmed with shame. "Oh no, what have I done?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reasoning for this chapter: In the books, Cato wounded Peeta in straight combat, sword to knife. But that was when Peeta and Cato were both Tracker-Jacker stung, and Peeta was focused on protecting Katniss. In this fic, Cato and Peeta went hand-to-hand, with Cato distracted on another fight.
> 
> Also, in the books, you couldn't add messages to Sponsor Gifts, but Katniss was able to determine what Haymitch wanted from the gifts he sent. Messages were added to the movies for exposition. In this fic, we go back to no messages at all. You'll find out why in the future.
> 
> (And to be clear, it wasn't the same tree that Katniss was in, so dropping the nest wasn't an option.)
> 
> Read and Review!


	4. Final Five

_"Exciting Stuff, Hunger Gamers! District Twelve Tribute, Peeta; is now making his way back to his allies, unaware that he'd being tracked. Meanwhile the Capitol Favorite, Cato; from District Two, has just received his second Sponsor Gift. Medicine, from the Capitol's finest suppliers. Claudius, tell our audience what that means?"_

_"Cato was exhibiting all the classic signs of concussion, Ceaser. A debilitating injury that can last for weeks, and effectively disable a combatant without causing death or paralysis. The medicine he received can counteract the effects and restore Cato to full combat readiness in less than twenty minutes."_

_"During those twenty minutes, he's pretty vulnerable."_

_"He already was, when first injured. Peeta's choice to spare Cato could prove a fatal strategic error."_

_"Assuming Thresh doesn't get him first."_

_"Hard to predict, Ceaser. Remember, Peeta's being stalked by Thresh. And District Twelve has formed an alliance with the other District Eleven Tribute already."_

* * *

Peeta made his way back to the trees, and started scanning. "Prim!" He shouted.

The branches above him parted, and he saw them, well hidden, about fifty feet away. They didn't shout back, or draw attention. Peeta started towards them, not calling ahead. Shouting was risky enough the first time. Relieved, and coming down from the adrenaline, Peeta shrugged his pack off and took out his canteen. He could head back to the stream, now that he knew when the girls were.

But when he turned back, he noticed a branch move, caught off guard by his sudden turn. Peeta froze automatically, peering closer.

And Thresh rose into view, knowing he'd been spotted.

"I owe you, for helping with Cato." Thresh said seriously. "But him, you, and I are the biggest risks left in the Arena. Now or never, y'know?"

"I understand." Peeta sighed, and cast his pack aside. "I appreciate you taking the time for me to be ready first."

"I owe you. This is the most I can offer." Thresh offered politely, and charged him.

Peeta took the hit and went down, grateful that they were back on dirt instead of stone. Most wrestling matches involved fighting from the ground, and Peeta was good at it.

_Thresh has about twenty pounds on me, but I've wrestled guys bigger and meaner than me since my big brothers decided I was old enough to 'play'._ Peeta thought. _Big tough guys all have the same weakness._

Thresh tightened his grip on Peeta's arms, but he never saw Peeta hook with his leg, and suddenly Thresh was feeling pins and needles in his neck as his arm stretched much too far.  _Another few seconds..._

Thresh couldn't hold the pose any longer, and went down beside Peeta.

_I've got him._

Peeta was up in an instant, with a knee on his throat.

_In the school wrestling matches, this is the point where my opponent would slap the mat and admit defeat. Thresh doesn't have that option._

* * *

Katniss let out a whoop as Thresh went down. Peeta had him in a joint lock instantly, using his whole body weight to stretch Thresh's arm, inch by inch...

The pop wasn't audible on camera, but the roar that Thresh let out clearly was, and one arm hung limply. Peeta had Thresh pinned, using his body weight on the huge boy's throat, choking him, dislocating the arm...

But then, suddenly, Peeta let up. Thresh didn't move, but all Panem could see him breathing.

"Peeta, what are you doing?" Katniss asked quietly.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Rue asked from the treetop. She looked torn, halfway between happy and scared.

"He's a friend of yours, isn't he?" Peeta asked, getting his breath back.

"Well... yeah." Rue stammered. "There was... I mean, on the train, we kind of had a deal that we'd look after each other's families if only one of us went home." She almost giggled. "At the time, I thought that he'd be the one to win. I never thought..."

"That you'd be standing over him with a knife?" Peeta quipped. "I know what you mean. Do you want him to die?"

Rue hesitated, eyes fixed on Peeta, but her head tilted as though she could be looking at up at the sky. The cameras were always watching.

"Peeta..." Prim warned, barely audible. _Don't make her say anything merciful where the Gamemakers would hear it._

Peeta let them off the hook. "So, Prim. What would Katniss do?"

Prim blinked. "Um... I don't know."

"Yes, you do. You've seen Hunger Games before. What's the High Ground in every arena?"

Prim bit her lip. "Every arena? I don't know."

"Katniss does." Peeta said with a wink to the sky. "And I bet Rue does too."

* * *

Watching in Twelve, Katniss said it in unison with Rue. "Wherever the food and water is."

_"You know why?"_  Peeta said to Rue on screen.  _"It's because the Career Pack has the same weakness every year. One that we don't have."_  Peeta glanced upward to the cameras.  _"They don't know how to be hungry."_

* * *

Rue stared at him. "Neither do you." She countered. "You've got muscle. That takes food. Regular food."

Prim answered that one as she climbed down from the tree. "Peeta is the Baker's kid. He eats. Anything that doesn't sell, Mama Mellark feeds to her kids. Peeta came in second last year during the Wrestling Tournaments."

"How do you know that?" Peeta asked, surprised. "You weren't there. Neither was Katniss, I don't think."

Prim grinned at him. "There were rumors all over the school that you threw the final match. Since we're all telling each other stories now..."

Peeta rolled his eyes. "First Prize was a food parcel. Equal to two Tesserae. As you say, I'm the Baker's kid..."

Prim snorted. "I'm starting to think I'm the dangerous one from Twelve this year."

"Unquestionably. But hopefully, not right now, Little Nurse." He waved Prim over to Thresh. "See to the patient."

* * *

"What is he doing?" Katniss asked blankly of Gale as Prim knelt beside Thresh.

"Taking the high ground." Gale said sagely. "He's right you know. Most games where the Career Pack lost? It's because they were either drawn away from their supplies, or were unable to hold onto them."

Prim wasn't strong enough to turn the huge teenager over, so Peeta helped her. And then with her guidance, he and Rue popped the dislocated shoulder back in.

* * *

Thresh woke up with a groan of pain, nursing the tender arm. He saw Rue and froze. "Kid?"

Rue sat beside him and stroked Thresh's hair gently. "You're okay. It's okay."

Thresh saw Peeta and jumped, rolling to his feet, and pulling Rue behind him.

"Thresh, it's okay!" Rue insisted.

"I've got a deal for you, Thresh." Peeta said gently. Hands out, no aggressive or even defensive stance. "You've gone hand to hand with me already, and lost. You know I could have done it. I didn't. Rue is vouching for me. We both want to send our fellow tributes home safe."

Thresh set his jaw. "We can't both have our way."

"Maybe not, but we can indulge enough to give each other a pretty good head start."

Endless moment.

"I'm listening." Thresh said finally.

Peeta looked to Rue expectantly. "Tell him everything."

Rue nodded. "Before I teamed with Peeta, I was watching the Career Pack. Food and water is everything. More than weapons, more than medicine. Food and water is  _time_. They told us in the training centre that most of us would go by thirst, exposure... The Careers took all the food supplies and put them under guard in the Cornucopia."

"But little Rue here is apparently the deadliest of us all." Peeta put in grimly. "The Career Pack is down to the boys from Two and Three."

"The boy from Three seemed pretty soft..." Thresh commented. "In comparison, anyway. But if their Alliance is down to two, they won't bother entrenching. They don't have the numbers."

"They don't need the numbers." Rue told him. "When I met up with Prim, we doubled back to look. Figured we could steal some food. They found a way to defend their supplies without being there. They used landmines."

"Where the hell did they get those?" Thresh was stunned.

"The boy from Three. Apparently an electronics whiz. Enough to remove the explosives from the Tribute Pedestals." Prim told him. "We can steal the food, burn the food, blow it up if you think you can set off the mines without killing yourself!"

Thresh looked at Peeta, calculating something.

"The Career Pack has never needed to scavenge, Thresh." Peeta said earnestly. "They've always had the Starting Supplies and the biggest Sponsors. Every Games, it's been like that. Cato doesn't know how to forage. I don't know about the others who are left; but if that food is sitting there, without a guard... Prim and Rue can feed themselves better than us put together. Their odds of survival go up a lot if we take out the food."

"For one of them." Thresh countered quickly, eyes flicking to Prim quickly.

Peeta stepped a little closer to Prim. "Would you kill Prim, Thresh? Would you do that? You think I could do it to Rue?"

Thresh was unreadable, but he said nothing. "I want both of us away from the kids. This deal? One time. And it ends, the second the food is gone. So I want you far away from Rue. Just in case."

Peeta's eyes flicked to Prim. "And I want you away from Prim, when it happens. Just in case."

"That could work." Rue said quickly, very aware of the tension building. "We could light Decoy fires. If Cato's regrouping, as we think he is, he'll be with his Supplies. We can draw him off; and the more decoys we have, the better chances of success; for whoever goes."

Thresh looked at Peeta. "Which one of us goes?"

Prim went to the grass, plucked a long blade, and broke it into two uneven pieces. "Short straw goes. Long straw sets decoys."

Thresh drew the short straw.

* * *

"Setting the fires is too obvious." Gale shook his head as the plan began to unfold. "Nobody's stupid enough to light a campfire in the open. Cato's gotta know it's a trap."

"He knows. He doesn't care." Katniss said with certainty. "He knows those fires are being lit by someone, and he doesn't care who, because he's gotta go through all of them to win."

Gale nodded, realizing. "Man, he's not scared of anyone in that arena, is he?"

"He might be, if he gets hungry. Think about it. The first time Peeta and Cato fought, Cato tripped on a snare. The second time, Peeta took him by surprise and won in a fight. Next time..." Katniss pointed at the screen. "There's Thresh."

* * *

_"Very, very exciting, Hunger Games fans! The Twelve/Eleven Alliance is really exceeding expectations!"_

_"Right you are, Ceaser. Nobody expected Mellark to be such a skilled wrestler; and certainly nobody expected little Rue to get such an impressive count. Primrose is one of the better field medics we've seen in the games for a while, and Thresh's raw panther power is… Well, okay, we all saw that coming."_

_"Haha! Rue's idea to start decoy fires has worked; and Cato is hunting them. His Original Alliance is down to just him and District Three Tribute, Nels- Oh! Here we go!_

_"Now, let's see if Thresh figures this out. Earlier in the Games, we saw them turn those pedestals into mines, to protect their food supply. Thresh has been warned of this, but it remains to be seen if he's nimble enough to avoid setting off a blast."_

_"I have to say, it's a sound strategy. With Glimmer and Clove out of the Games, the original Alliance Pack don't have any scroungers left. Cato hasn't snared any of the local wildlife; or collected any edible plants. His foodstuffs are limited to the Cornucopia, and whatever he takes from his victims."_

_"I couldn't agree with you more. In fact, if Thresh can stay out of sight from the last guard, and evade-"_

_"WOAH!"_

* * *

"WHOA!" Katniss and Gale shouted.

Their shout was loud enough to wake Katniss' mother from her doze in the chair. "What!? What happened?!"

"Well, good news: Prim and Peeta made it to the final eight." Gale said with grim understatement.

"Seven. There was a guard at the Cornucopia." Katniss reported, eyes glued to the screen. "Where's Cato?!"

* * *

Peeta was about to light his decoy fire when he heard the blast. The shockwave of it was stronger than anything he'd experienced in the games so far. It was enough to shake the branches on the trees. The fireball in the centre of the Arena was visible from where he was.

And then the cannon went off. Once. Twice.

"Prim." Peeta whispered, and started running.

* * *

_"Oh, what an upset, Panem! Rigging those explosives seemed like a great idea for protecting the food, but the blast was clearly more powerful than anyone expected. One slip from Thresh during his attack run ended the fight decisively! The judges have spent the last half hour trying to decide if it counts towards Mellark's score, still at zero. But the ruling is that Thesh has self eliminated."_

_"That's right, Ceaser. Self-Elimination is not that uncommon, and almost always due to poor resource management, or by accident. Not always, of course. We all remember Annie Cresta, and-"_

_"Wait! I have to interrupt you to go live to the Arena, where District Two's Cato is about to add another to his score!"_

* * *

Prim and Rue had heard the explosion, of course. Rue looked terrified. "Thresh?"

The Cannon had gone off, twice. The little girl took it with her chin up. Prim had hugged her new friend tightly anyway. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

Rue didn't respond right away. "We have to find Peeta."

"Not yet." Prim hugged her tightly for another few moments. Rue couldn't help but smile a bit and hug her back. The fireball from the blast was visible from where they were, a cloud rising to the top of the Arena, and the simulated sky. Prim's eyes flicked to Rue, to the sky; and then she raised her right hand, pressed a kiss to her three middle fingers, and hooked her thumb and little finger together. The three finger salute raised to the sky, and the fireball that was all that was left of Thresh.

"What's that?" Rue asked.

"It's something we do sometimes in my District at funerals." Prim told her. "It means 'thanks', it means 'admiration', and it means 'goodbye to someone you love'. It's an old custom." Prim shivered. "Last time I saw it, it was when my father died. The mine collapse took a number of fathers and sons. The other miners... they held the salute all night, after they called off the search for survivors."

Rue took that in and mirrored the gesture. A kiss to her fingers, a salute to the sky, both of them holding the pose for a few minutes, side by side.

"We should find Peeta." Rue said again.

Prim agreed, and they got moving.

"Prim…" Rue murmured. "How does this play out? Because…"

"I know." Prim admitted softly.

"It's not fair." Rue whispered. "Thresh was my friend. You're my friend. Peeta's my friend."

"You're our friend too, Rue. I don't want to kill you."

"Well, maybe I can help there."

The girls spun. Cato was suddenly right there, with his trademark bloodthirsty grin.

They tried to run. Cato was ready this time, one hand flashed out and caught Rue by the neck before she could get clear. He hoisted her up off the ground, one handed.

Prim was five feet away and noticed her ally wasn't with her. She didn't even hesitate to turn and charge back, knife in her hand. "Let her go!" Prim yelled.

* * *

Katniss went a little insane again. "Leave her, Prim!" She shouted at the TV, as though her sister could hear her. "Just leave her!"

"She won't." Someone said softly, and Katniss couldn't even tell who.

* * *

Peeta was running for all he was worth, scrambling past the campfires that they hadn't lit yet. "Three fires at once. Both of us away from the girls!" He raged at himself angrily. "Who thought  _that_  was a good plan?! Peeta, you idiot!"

And then, quite suddenly, he found them...

...On the ground, covered in blood.

Peeta scanned frantically. They were still alive. It had to be a trap.

"He went… for the other… other fires." Prim coughed.

Peeta swiftly understood. Cato didn't know how many campfires they'd set up. He'd left them alive so that the cannon wouldn't go off. Cato had left them to die slowly so that he could chase down where he  _thought_  Peeta was. He threw himself down between them, trying to tend to their wounds. "Prim?" He asked hoarsely. "Any advice, little nurse?"

Prim gave him a hollow look. "Just... stay?"

Peeta wanted to throw up. He could tell, just like Prim. There was nothing to be done.

Rue was shaking; moments away. "C-cold…"

Peeta wrapped both girls up in his arms as tightly as he could, as though he could hold their souls in place with his arms. "Rue…" He said desperately. "Your thing is music. Mine is painting. But I know stories, too. Let me tell you one?"

"Tell it fast…" Rue rasped with grim understatement.

"When a painter dies, they say that the gods let him paint the sky that night." Peeta said, trying madly to keep his voice even. "But the part they don't tell you is that every artist gets that. For storytellers; the gods write their story into the inspiration of someone else's tale; and for a singer; it is the birds." He held tighter as Rue started going limp. "That tune you whistled to the Mockingjays… They sang it back and forth to each other; but the cameras mean that every district heard it." The smallest tribute was going limp. "Rue, listen to me…" he said desperately. "Every Mockingjay in Panem will hear that tune, because everyone watching heard it. They'll go to the trees and they'll sing your song. Not the signal, not the coded message to us… The tune you made up on the spot; and gave to the birds. They'll sing for you, Rue. Everyone in Panem will go outside, and sing your song to the Mockingjays, I promise."

The cannon went off. Peeta kept talking anyway.

"Every Mockingjay in the world will sing your soul. Every newly hatched baby bird, every student plucking out a tune on an instrument. They'll sing for you, Rue…"

Rue was gone. Prim was moments away.

"I… I wish…" Prim was gasping. "I wish (gasp) Rue could have heard (gasp) the end of that story (gasp) she would have liked (gasp) the happy ending…"

"Yeah. Yeah she would have." Peeta said softly.

Prim reached a trembling hand to her jacket, and took off the Mockingjay pin. "Make sure they... sing for Rue back home, in Twelve. Do... that for me... Boy With The Bread."

Peeta took the pin, though he would have preferred to die himself than take it from her. "Don't… Don't die, Prim." He pleaded hopelessly.

Prim lifted her hand again, trying to make her fingers work. Peeta held her hand and helped her get there, forming the three-finger salute that they gave her in Twelve. She pressed the three fingertips to his lips. "Take car' o' Kat..." Prim rasped out; and her eyes turned to hollow glass.

Prim didn't finish. Her eyes closed. Peeta did the same, and the cannon went off.

* * *

Watching in Twelve, Katniss felt her heart stop. The Cannon had gone off, and both of the Everdeen girls had died. She felt it. Her heart had stopped beating. She didn't breathe. She felt no hunger for the first time in her life. She felt nothing at all. Her brain had switched off completely.

Mama Everdeen was sobbing in her chair. Gale was doing a slow boil, ready to explode. Katniss wasn't even aware of them, staring blankly in front of her without seeing anything.

"Katniss." Gale said with menace. "This can't go on."

Katniss didn't hear him. She couldn't hear anything. Her hearing was gone too.

_Am I dead? Is that what this is?_  Some distant part of Katniss' brain wondered. But she didn't move. Not so much as a blink. She just… faded away to nothing; shut down.

Gale hugged her tightly. She didn't respond to it. Didn't feel it.

"Katniss? Sweetheart?" Her mother's voice came from a million miles away. She couldn't summon the energy to move her eyes to the left and look at her mother. Gale waved a hand back and forth in front of her eyes. She didn't respond to that either.

_I am dead._ She marvelled. _I haven't fallen down, but I'm gone._

* * *

Peeta was unable to leave them. He knew he should. Cato was still hunting the campfires, unaware that Peeta wasn't near them anymore; but Peeta couldn't move. He just couldn't leave them. Either of them. "Oh, god; Katniss I'm so sorry!"

* * *

Mrs Everdeen looked at her  _only_  child. Katniss hadn't heard him. Her face was turned towards the screen, but she wasn't seeing it.

Mrs Everdeen watched Gale with open worry. Something dark and angry was growing in the young man. Something fuelled by moral outrage, the frustrations of being ground under the boot of a dictator, and now set loose by heartbreak. "This has to stop." He snarled, and she couldn't recognize his voice. "Every year, over and over. This has to  **stop**." His eyes flashed. "And the only way it's going to stop is if somebody stops it."

For a moment, Mama Everdeen was legitimately scared of Gale. The look on his face had become downright lethal. "Gale, don't do anything you-"

But he was already gone, sweeping out of the house like a storm.

* * *

Gale stormed out of the Everdeen house and stomped his way halfway across the Seam before he became aware of his surroundings.

When he came back to himself, he noticed something. People in the Seam were leaving their houses. They looked sad, but there was something else there. A determination. They were going to the trees. Gale walked with them for a while, as they went to the Fence… and Whistled. Dozens of people, whistling four familiar notes to the trees.

One by one, they all saluted to the trees. Prim's Salute, to Rue's Echo.

* * *

On the screen, Peeta looked back up at the cameras; as if looking out of the screen at Katniss and her mother.  _"Gale, I know you're watching. Give Katniss a hug for me. Don't let her go. I can't do it, so you have to for both of us. Just hold on."_

"He's not watching, Peeta." The older woman whispered. "Neither of them are…"

Mama Everdeen knew exactly what was happening to Katniss. She had been in the same state, once.

And Peeta still hadn't moved.

* * *

_"You think this is strategic in some way?"_

_"I don't see how, Ceaser. We've seen Tributes break under the mental strain before. In a way, it's the most exciting part of the Games, since it's the one opponent you have to fight totally on your own; regardless of your circumstances. Mental power proves itself a factor at some point in every Games. Some of the heaviest hitters had feet of clay. It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog."_

_"If Peeta's trying to play on the Sponsor's Sympathies, it's a risky gamble. It's only a matter of time until Cato realizes he already found their Rendezvous spot and doubles back. Can I ask, for our viewers, what is the policy on sending the Hovercraft if someone won't move on?"_

_"Procedurally, they don't send it until the Tributes have cleared the area. It's to make sure the games are fair, by not signalling to other Tributes where battle has taken place until everyone's moved away. Our hovercraft can afford to be patient, but Peeta can't. Cato's found at least two of those untouched campfires. He'll work it out any minute and double back. So if Peeta's going to move, he'd better move fast."_

_"Wait! Looks like something's coming his way. Looks like staying with the bodies was part of his strategy after all."_

* * *

Peeta looked up at the chime, and saw the silver parachute. It landed right in front of him. Right in front of Rue.

Moving slowly, Peeta reached out and took it. Inside was a loaf of bread. Peeta knew instantly it wasn't from Haymitch. This bread was made from dark flour, and thick with seeds. It was from District 11. Also in the container was a small metal tube. It took Peeta a moment to realize it was a whistle. A signal whistle. The message was clear. They'd seen his time with Rue. They'd seen his friendship with her, and given him the way to offer something to the fallen tribute.

Peeta looked up at the sky, up at the cameras, and put the whistle to his lips. This time the musical tone was clear and strong, ringing out brightly. Peeta sounded the four note whistle that Rue had sung for them, in their little cave home.

Right on Cue, the Mockingjays answered, repeating the whistle back to him. Dozens of them. So many that the air seemed full of Rue's song. Enough that Peeta rose from his knees. "She wasn't the 'District 11 Tribute'! This little girl was named Rue!" He declared to the sky loudly. "She was smart, and she was funny, and she was fast, and resourceful; and she loved music, and she sang to the birds, just because she liked to hear them sing back!" He laid Rue down gently. "Her name was Rue, and she was wonderful!"

He turned back to Prim. "She wasn't the 'District Twelve Tribute'! This little girl was named Prim!" He said clearly, almost defiantly. "She was caring, and she was clever; and she was fearless in the face of pain. She wanted to be a nurse, and make bad things better, even in strangers, even in enemies. Everyone loved her, because she was pure." He made no effort to stop the tears rolling down his cheeks. "Her name was Prim, and she was so,  _so_  loved!"

With the eulogy given, Peeta turned to go. He held the bread close, over his heart. "My apologies to everyone who loved these girls more than I did." He called to the sky. "If it's not too presumptuous, I would weep for them with you."

He took one step away from the bodies and the tears came. But he kept moving.

* * *

Hours passed, and Katniss was numb. She didn't have enough energy to feel sad. Or hate. She wished she could. Hate, at least would make her move.

_Am I breathing? I can't tell. Is my heart beating? I can't hear it._

Noises. Noises buzzing around her. Meaningless. Something pushing her.  _Go away, whoever you are._

Someone dumped a bucket of cold water over her, and Katniss came upright, spluttering. "What?" She demanded of Madge. "Go away!"

"It's Gale!" Madge yelled in her face, and Katniss suddenly realized she'd been yelling for a while. "He's gonna die if you don't come!"

Katniss blinked, trying to move. Every movement she made was like trying to drag herself out of a long dark tunnel.  _Move your left foot. Drag it through a long dark tunnel. Now move the right foot. Another long haul through a long dark tunnel…_

Madge was hauling Katniss upright, pulling her along, and her feet were obliged to follow before she fell to the floor. "Come ON!"

* * *

"What happened?" Katniss asked as the two of them ran towards the Town Square.

"I saw what happened to Prim. Gale… He went berserk, Katniss. He was losing it, screaming for people to do something about it, trying to rally them. When nobody joined him, I thought he might calm down, but… He tried to torch the Justice Building."

_"WHAT?!"_  Katniss freaked out. "Do they know it was him th-"

And then she heard it. The faint  _crack-crack_  sound that Katniss hadn't heard in person since she was a little girl. But it was a sound everyone in Twelve knew.

"Move! Move! Let us through!" Madge shouted to the crowd that was gathered around the Square. There was only one thing that superseded the Hunger Games. Only one thing that the Law required them to leave the Games Coverage for.

To watch a public execution.

Gale was bent over the fence in front of the Justice Building, bound tightly. The official whipping post had been ignored for so long that nobody bothered with it. His back had a pair of open wounds, almost the length of his spine. And the Peacekeepers, who didn't look happy about it, were still going.

**Crack!**  The whip opened another wide line across Gale's back.

"NO!" Katniss yelled, and she threw herself forward.

Darius, the Head Peacekeeper in Twelve, was usually a forgiving sort. The kind that people had learned to live with, because he didn't want to escalate problems. He let people be, and he didn't shake people down half as much as he could have. But he wasn't wearing that casual cocky grin this time. "Stay out of this, Everdeen. You know I like you, but this one is out of my hands."

Katniss didn't move, spreading her arms wide, keeping her body between Gale and the whip.

"Katniss, you can't help him." Darius pressed. "All you can do is get yourself a spot right next to him."

"Go ahead." Katniss dared him. She wasn't bluffing. She wanted the whip. She wanted to hurt. She wanted to  _bleed_. Prim was dead, and it wasn't right that Katniss was alive and well. The whip would be the first thing she'd feel since that Cannon had gone off. "Do it."

"Katniss, I'm not kidding. I let you and Gale slide on a hell of a lot, but violent crime is something el-"

"Do you have no idea what just happened in the Games?!" Madge demanded, stepping in next to Katniss.

"I saw. We all did." Darius looked sick about it. "And I'm sorry about Prim, Katniss. Really, I am. We all loved her. But-"

"I'm not talking about Prim." Madge said quickly. "Peeta made it to the final eight this morning. Final five now. What happens during the final eight, Darius?"

Katniss had a flash of insight. "The Interviews. With family and friends."

"With Prim being a Tribute, to say nothing of Peeta telling the world how he felt about Katniss, you can bet there's a camera crew setting up on the train right now, just for her." Madge pressed. "My father's the Mayor. He has to meet the train. They'll be here in less than twenty minutes."

"And I'm not leaving until Gale is released." Katniss said, planting her feet. "Bet the cameras would love a shot of me with an open wound across my face; thanks to your whip."

"Gale was attempting Arson of a government building, Katniss. Believe me, I'll survive."

"Will you?" Katniss asked harshly. "We let things slide too."

Darius' face changed. He was pretty lax about the Hob. He bought things all the time. Hunting was illegal, but Darius was one of Gale's best customers. All Katniss had to do was mention it on the air. "You wouldn't."

"Have I ever been mistaken for a  _forgiving_  person, Darius?" Katniss snarled. "And that was when my sister was alive to talk me down."

There was a familiar whistle in the distance. The train had arrived.

Darius's eyes shifted. The crowd was watching him now. "Three lashes. For… Disorderly conduct. Get him outta here." Darius said finally. "Everyone, get back to your homes. The Games are on. Isn't it the Law?"

The crowd quickly scattered.

Darius lowered his voice so that only Katniss could hear. "I'll put 'disorderly conduct' on the report to Cray. He won't want to escalate things either. But if he'd actually succeeded in setting something on fire, I'd have had to shoot him. Even with the coal dust of Twelve all over it, the Capitol buildings are fireproof. Take the metaphor for a hint, Everdeen. We'll burn. They won't."

"Who's this 'they' you're talking about, Peacekeeper?" Katniss spat. "You 'one of us' now?"

Gale was cut free, conscious but moaning. A few people came hurrying over to help carry him. "Get him to my mother!" Katniss called. "Hurry. I can't come, I have…" She ran a hand through her hair. "God, I have an interview. How is that possible?!"

Madge almost smiled, hugging her tightly. "I'm so sorry about Prim. I have some medicine… Well, my mother does, anyway. It'll help Gale. I'll bring it to your mom."

"Thank you." Katniss said faintly, feeling her head spin as the adrenaline faded. "Ohh, I'm so tired."

"Yeah. My mom's the same way." Madge admitted. "She lost her sister in the Games too, you know. The last Quarter Quell. The one Haymitch won."

Katniss blinked. "Really?" She whispered. "And she still… feels like this? More than twenty years later?"

Madge hugged her again. "Yeah."

Katniss checked the town clock.  _Prim has been dead for four hours. No._  She thought bleakly to herself.  _It's been days, at least… It feels like days. Maybe even a week..._

_If Madge hadn't come to get me just now, I would have stayed like that that forever, trapped inside my head, living like a puppet with cut strings who didn't know to fall down._

_Like mother did when dad died._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tragedy chapter this time. But necessary.
> 
> Okay, so here's my reasoning: The 'two winners' plotline was in response to the Love Story of Katniss and Peeta. Without her in the Games, it didn't track that they'd do it again. This is more obvious in the movie than the book, but I am combining them into the best narrative I can.
> 
> My main focus is keeping everyone in character. I think it's safe to give spoilers for Mockingjay at this point: When Prim died, Katniss went into a deep depression; but by then the war was over. This time around, it hasn't started yet.
> 
> Also, I didn't want it to come down to Prim and Peeta as the final two. I'm not that cruel.
> 
> Read and Review!


	5. The Victor

Katniss had done the interview. It had gone badly, with her still feeling like a zombie. The Interviewer knew about Prim; and kept the conversation about Peeta. Tributes were rarely discussed once they were... out of the Games.

Madge had been present, and piped up, telling the cameras that Katniss was a heartbreaker; with almost a dozen guys in school chasing her. But Peeta was different, because he'd kept it a secret until the Reaping.

Katniss repeated Madge's words mechanically; and the Interviewer promised to edit the final product enough that it wouldn't hurt Peeta's chances.

"Personally, I think he'd be glad to fake the whole thing if it gets him out of Twelve faster." Madge commented to an exhausted Katniss. "Capitol people always act like this place is toxic."

"Can't say as I blame them." Katniss groaned.

* * *

Katniss shuffled in the door to her home, and found her mother washing her hands. There was the smell of sulphur and moss. The kind of minerals and plants that her mother used to clean a wound. "How is he?"

"Only three strikes. The usual punishment for an attack on a Capitol Justice Building is to keep whipping until you're dead." Her mother said grimly. "He's going to be okay. I don't know how you pulled it off, but he only has three lacerations. It could have been a lot worse."

Katniss stared at her mother. "You're… okay?"

Her mother winced a bit. "Yeah. I'm still here." She held her arms open to her last daughter, but Katniss shied away from her. Her mother took it on the chin, as she always did when Katniss rejected her. "Peeta's still in it." She offered. "Gale asked to be moved in here, so that he could follow the Games."

Katniss said nothing for a long time. "I handled the interview. With Prim…"  _murdered brutally by a District Two killing machine_  "-gone, they didn't need to interview her family. But because of Peeta's…"  _expression of undying love for me_  "-play to the crowd, I still had to make an appearance."

"How did it go?" Her mother asked.

"I don't care."

"Y'know, with Prim…" Her mother choked on the next word too. "With her gone, Peeta's unrequited love story got thrown into a whole other gear by the commentators. The Interview could be the difference between life and death for him now."

Katniss said nothing.

"Do you even care if Peeta lives anymore?" Her mother asked, not judging, but genuinely curious.

_I wish I knew_. Katniss thought, but didn't say. "I'm tired." She said finally. "I'm going to get some sleep."

She shuffled towards her room. She knew that if she lay down she'd never get up again. Maybe not ever. But she just couldn't stop herself. She wanted to sleep forever. Sweet oblivion was the most beautiful thing the world had to offer her now.

"Catnip…" Gale groaned from the cot. "Watch with me a little while?"

Katniss froze in the doorway. It would have been so easy to ignore Gale. To just put her head down and vanish into her pillow and have her brain switch off, far away from this terrible, awful world where Prim was gone. A world that only awake people had to deal with...

"Please?" Gale croaked.

_I almost hate you for that._  She thought weakly, but her heart wasn't in that either, and she shuffled over to sit by the cot, ignoring Gale's outstretched hand; and the Games played out on screen.

* * *

In the Capitol, the Games was the event of the Year. The Mentors always watched it in the most exclusive viewing rooms. One District at a time, the Mentors would leave, as their charges were eliminated.

In a lot of ways, the Games were won or lost in these rooms. These were the rooms where the biggest donors all watched, judged, schemed...

Haymitch had friends in this room. Other Victors who also hid their pain in drink; and since drunkenness loved company as much as misery, there were lifelong partnerships formed at the bottom of a bottle.

Effie came over. "Where's Chaff?"

"He went back to his rooms. He lost both kids in a day." Haymitch's eyes were glued to the screens, and his hands were gripping the sides of his chair tight enough to break his fingernails. "Effie." He said hoarsely. "I need you to slap me very hard."

Effie didn't hesitate.  **Crack!**  She struck him hard enough that the sound rang out across the room enough to draw attention. "You didn't even ask why." He groaned.

"I know why." Effie said softly. "You don't dare take your eyes off the screens, because if you do, you'll notice the open bar."

"I can't let go of the chair because my hands are shaking. I haven't been sober this long in twenty years, Effie. We've never had a kid make it this far."

"Peeta's lost whatever Sponsors he had." Effie shook her head. "He made a mistake, staying with the younger Tributes."

"Their  _names_  were-"

"And that's  _how_  he lost them." She cut him off. "I want Peeta to win as much as you do, Haymitch. He's my best hope too. But he  _shamed_  the people in this room. They were twelve years old. They never had a chance; and all the Gamemakers, all the Sponsors, all the audience knew it. Peeta made them... He made them weep over the only two people in that Arena who  _never_  had a chance. Peeta's a Baker's son; he should know: You don't shame people who eat cake if you're selling it to them. Peeta's whole 'image' is that he's likeable. Nobody likes the one who makes them feel bad about themselves."

Haymitch stared at her. "I honestly can't tell if you're mad at Peeta for making you think of Rue like a person; or if you're just mad that he killed your chances at a transfer to a more upscale District."

Effie blinked. "I don't understand the question."

"No. I'm sure you don't."

* * *

Katniss was next to Gale's cot, eyes closed, curled in a ball beside him. He wasn't there for moral support anymore. He was there so that her mother could monitor his recovery. Madge had dropped in something called Morpha, and Mama Everdeen had dosed Gale immediately. He slept, Katniss dozed. Hazel had stopped in, in a mild panic over her eldest son.

"He was lucky." Katniss heard her mother say to Hazel. "No infection."

"What was the boy trying to do?!" Hazel moaned. It was a sound that Katniss knew well. It was a helpless, hopeless, animal sound of grief. A sound that had been ringing in Katniss' ears constantly.

"He was trying to Change something." Mama Everdeen sighed hard. "The kids aren't like us, Hazel. They don't get how long the Capitol has had their boot on our throat; they don't remember how it was before Cray took over."

"I know. Oh, gods; he only got  _three strokes_. It could have been so much-"

"I know. I know."

"I never should have let him watch the Games here." Hazel sighed. "I should have kept him home. Being around Katniss was only going to get his blood up, and since he was already raging about Prim going to the Arena in the first place..."

"And then Peeta's interview changed everything." Mrs Everdeen sniffed. "For a moment, I wondered if Prim actually had a shot. Goddamn me for hoping to be hopeful."

"It's not so bad, is it? To do what we do; and just stay alive? I remember back when David and Usul were alive. There was always some mangled body stretched out on your table. Every day."

"I remember. Usually more than one. Hazel, we had such a good streak of going without this sort of thing. I'm so sorry it was Gale who broke the trend."

Long silence.

"I have to get back to the kids. Don't let Gale leave, no matter what he says. Next time, they won't stop till he's dead." Hazel said finally. "Your... usual payment?"

"Been a while, I was wondering if you remembered."

"You don't forget such things." Hazel murmured. "I'm so sorry about Prim. Obviously, if there's anything I can do..."

"Thank you."

Hazel came over and put a kiss to her unconscious son's hair.

Katniss stirred as Hazel left, giving up on pretending to rest. "So. It was like this before?"

"No." Her mother admitted. "It was a great deal worse. Back before you were born."

"You should sleep." Katniss said finally. "If Gale is going to be out for a while, you should get whatever rest you can."

"You were listening?" Her mother checked.

Katniss considered lying, before she nodded. "I still can't believe it. Why would Gale try to... I mean, you and Hazel talked like you were expecting it. The arson, the whip... You talk like it was inevitable."

Her mother nodded. "Gale blames himself for Prim."

"Why?" Katniss blinked.

"Because he didn't volunteer. Because Peeta vowed to do what Gale wanted to do; and they both failed. Peeta to save Prim, and Gale to avenge her."

"That's stupid." Katniss declared profoundly.

"I know. But Prim has always been the way to your heart, Katniss. And if you try hard enough, you can blame yourself for anything." Her mother told her. "Especially for someone like Peeta, who grew up wondering why his mom slapped him around."

Katniss glanced back at the screen, where the Games were following Cato, setting up a camp; surrounding himself with traps. "Do you blame Peeta?"

"For Prim? No." Her mother said without hesitation. "Do you?"

Katniss bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. "I don't know anymore. At first I did. But when I saw Gale getting whipped, it... That feeling I got when I saw Cato stab Prim, it was exactly the same thing I felt when I saw Darius whip Gale... And I can't blame Peeta for a whipping." Katniss looked up, asking her mother for advice, for the first time in years and years. "Mom, why does it feel the same? Why don't I hate Peeta?"

"It's because Peeta's not the bad guy." Her mother counselled. "And despite the uniform, neither is Darius. You think he  _wanted_  to hurt Gale?"

"I know he didn't." Katniss admitted. "He even told me so." She wiped her eyes. "But if Peeta had just killed Cato when he had the chance..."

"Peeta didn't kill Cato for the same reason he didn't kill Rue." Her mother told her.

"That not the same thing at all!" Katniss spluttered.

"Isn't it?" Her mother pressed. "If Prim was going to come home, she would have had to go through Peeta and Rue at some point, or hope someone else got there first. You think you'd be okay with that?"

_My wonderful, gentle baby sister? A killer of sweet children like Rue?_  Katniss put her hands on both sides of her head, and tried to squeeze that idea out of her brain. "I am not smart enough for this." She groaned, and curled back into her ball on the floor. "My head hurts, and I just wanna sleep for a million years."

* * *

_"Exciting stuff, Panem. Cato has established a new camp by the river, and built several defences, totally unaware that Peeta is already in the camp, hidden against the rock wall by camouflage. How long can Peeta go unnoticed?"_

_"We've seen camoflauge used as a tactic before, Ceaser. As a rule, if the one being stalked doesn't notice in the first half hour, then he doesn't notice at all. The eye misses things it doesn't expect to see. After that, it's on the one in hiding to keep it up. Peeta's a good wrestler, but not a hunter. His only food supply is that bread, and he can only eat, or chew, or swallow, when Cato's back is turned."_

_"I'm amazed Cato hasn't spotted him."_

_"Cato's whole strategy in this game is Frontal. Full attack, head on. Cato fights like a prizefighter in the ring. We're told that's how he trained. In Cagefights. No rules, no rounds, nobody gets let out until someone's unconscious or dead. Cato is apparently undefeated."_

_"He was defeated by Peeta a few days ago."_

_"Hard to tell if either of those times was more than luck, but in any event, letting Cato live cost Peeta his entire Alliance."_

_"Wait! This just in... The District Two Mentor has been disqualified for trying to add a note to the next Sponsor gift. As a consequence, Cato is no longer allowed to receive gifts from sponsors! What a twist!"_

_"It's true. District Two sponsors have some of the deepest pockets in the game. Cato's on his own from here on out."_

* * *

A day passed. Food and drink started appearing on the Everdeen doorstep. It was Twelve's way, to look after the families of a fallen Tribute as best they could, even if only for a day. Lots of wildflowers were left, a few letters. Mama Everdeen had gone to visit a few people and express gratitude. She'd also received an invitation to join a small group of mothers who had all lost their kids to the Reaping. There was a new addition every year. This year it was happening to them, and Katniss was glad to stay with Gale, purely to avoid the whole thing.

Gale slept fitfully around his injuries. He woke up from a doze, and noticed Katniss, still watching the screen. "Anything new?"

"Stalemate." Katniss said without looking away. "Peeta's been snacking on that bread from Eleven. Cato's had nothing. He's a ridiculously bad hunter for a Career."

"I'd think he'd be good at it."

"He's impatient. He can't wait out game, can't lead a fish onto a hook. He won't stop moving."

"Staying still in the Arena is traditionally a bad move."

"Staying still has put Peeta right at his freakin' ear for over a day. They switch to thermal cameras every few minutes, just to make sure he's there. Cato's practically standing on top of him; can't even see him."

Gale watched the screen. "Can you?"

Katniss kept staring. "No. His camoflague is amazing. I want to learn how to do that for when we hunt."

Gale bit his lip. "We'll still be doing that, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Katniss, most of the commentators are talking about his 'tragic love' thing like it's a strategy. You and I both know it's not."

Katniss said nothing to that.

Gale kept going. "We're down to the final three, and we both know the girl from Eight won't last another day unless her Sponsors send her something fast. With these two getting so much attention, that won't happen. Peeta's put Cato and Thresh down in a joint lock before. If Cato doesn't eat soon, it's going to be the biggest upset in twenty four years."

"Which has what to do with us hunting again?"

Gale regarded her, and gestured for her to come closer. She came over and crouched next to him. Gale was still laid flat on his stomach; a thin gauze on his back. Katniss came closer, and waved the flies away from his back automatically.

"Katniss, we both know that even if you turn him down, Peeta will not let you starve." Gale said, quiet and firm. "After Prim, I think he'd carve out his heart and serve it to you raw, the minute he gets back."

"What about you, Gale? We both know Darius would have flogged you to death if those cameras hadn't shown up for the final eight. You owe Peeta your life, too."

"Yeah, but it's not me he'll be looking for if he comes back."

Katniss finally looked at him. "I... I had no idea, Gale. You have to believe me."

"I do." Gale said honestly. "You have no idea the effect you have."

"What?"

Gale sighed. "Ahh, what the hell. Catnip, I know you're all messed up right now, and it must feel like the whole world is speaking gibberish around you, but..." Gale leaned closer, and reached to pull her close enough that he kissed her softly. The squeak that came out of her throat was the cutest thing he'd ever heard.

They broke for air, and Gale settled back, giving her space. "When you decide what to do, let me know."

Katniss stared blankly at him, eyes wide, more confused than anything else. "Wha... What the hell are you boys trying to do to me?!"

* * *

_"Panem, this is thrilling! It's clear by now that Wild Card Tribute, Peeta has chosen his strategy. He's wearing Cato down with hunger. Cato hasn't managed to catch a single fish or bird; hasn't scrounged anything but Nightlock berries that he knows he can't eat; and with his Mentors disqualified, he's receiving no replacement supplies. Thermal cameras show you at home what Cato can't see: Peeta is flat out stalking the heavy favorite... With us now is hand-to-hand expert, Donner Mobile. Donner, what do you think?"_

_"I have examined the footage of their various fighting styles. Cato fights with a style of fighting known as savate. it's a particularly brutal method of fighting. One that favors raw power and quick strikes. But Peeta is a wrestler. His style of fighting is to get in close and pin the opponent. This style is still taught in a few school competitions for the impoverished districts."_

_"We're told that Peeta holds near-champion status in Twelve's Wrestling Competitions."_

_"That doesn't surprise me. In his match with Thresh, Mellark avoided several opportunities to inflict pain, and chose instead to stay inside the longer reach. It's clear that Peeta's had practise fighting opponents much bigger and stronger than him."_

_"If you've got several older brothers, I imagine you learn that fast; ahahahah!"_

_"Quite. I've watched how these Tributes fight, and in my opinion, Cato has one weakness in his style. He's not used to an enemy that isn't trying to get out of reach. His whole method in this game is to be overpowering, and to catch those that try to evade or escape. Peeta's style is to get in so close that raw power can't gather any force. After that, it's just a matter of who wears down fastest."_

_"I'll tell you this, the bookmakers are going crazy. There's never been an upset like this before! But now it seems... we might have a fight on our hands... Yes, Cato has finally noticed Peeta's position! This is it!"_

_"There! You see? Cato struck out with everything he had, and Peeta was already too close to get hit! Cato's not going for the knee shot because he's going for the head. A move that has worked with every other opponent, but Peeta is smaller than him, not as strong, and he knows it. He's forcing Cato to grapple; and-"_

_"There! There it is! He flipped him! Cato is down!"_

_"That headlock is the same trick Peeta used on Thresh. If he took Cato's legs out, he'd break the neck right there!"_

_"Cato knows it too! He's going crazy, trying to break that headlock, but I think... He's weakening! Donner, is he faking this?"_

_"If he's smart, that's exactly what he's doing. But Peeta hasn't released him yet. He may be trying to smother Cato, rather than break him. It's a much slower method, but harder to break out of!"_

_"Panem, I've just received telemetry from the Gamemakers, and they say... YES! Cato is unconscious! Mellark has him! And now... Oh my word, we have to go picture-in-picture for this! It looks like the Tribute from Eight, Crystal Daley is hungry enough to go for the berries! Nightlock is about to claim another victim!"_

* * *

Katniss was on her feet, almost climbing into the picture as Peeta dropped Cato, and then bent to check his pulse.

Cato didn't get up, and the two of them stayed like that as Peeta got his breath back. The cannon went off and Peeta jumped, checking Cato's pulse again. He knew they were the final two.

"Come on, Peeta." Gale whispered beside her. "Don't be nice, just this once. Just one time, be brutal!"

"I can't watch this." Katniss groaned sickly.

Gale caught her wrist. "You have to." He said seriously, eyes still on the screen.

"Why?!"

"Because if I was Reaped instead of Peeta, I'd want to know you were watching over me."

* * *

Peeta looked up at the sky, then down at Cato's still form, before he turned and walked back to Cato's campfire, dragging his final opponent along with him, arranging him to lay more comfortably.

* * *

"Just  **do it** , you idiot! What are you waiting for!?" Gale raged at the screen with low, hard intensity. "Three times?!  _Three_  times?!"

But then they both froze. With a blackened stick from the fire, Peeta had drawn something on Cato's face. It was the letter 'K'.

_For Katniss._  She realized.  _He's... what? Dedicating the kill to me? Letting me know I'm on his mind? Is he apologizing to me? To Prim? What?! What on Earth is going on in his brain?_

Gale saw the letter too. "What's he saying, Catnip?"

And then, all of a sudden, it came to her. "It's goodbye. He's telling me that he's not coming back. He's telling the world that he could have done it, and he didn't." She looked at Gale. "Three times. Peeta's the only one left in the Arena that hasn't killed anyone yet."

_And he said he won't come home without Prim._ Katniss felt a wave of shame go through her.  _He'll do it, too. Just to be nice, he'll let Cato kill him, so that he'll keep that promise._ Katniss started crying for the first time since Prim got on the train.  _Don't die, Boy With The Bread. I lost Prim. You were her friend. It's the final tiny straw that will break me. I'll let you off the hook, I won't hate you. Just please don't die._

* * *

_"Very, very exciting, Panem! There has never been a grudge match like this in Hunger Games history! We're here now with Gamemaker Seneca Crane. Tell me, how does this affect things for you?"_

_"I'll be honest, Ceaser, we're all scratching our heads. We've seen competitors spare each other before, either tactically or for alliance. Peeta and Cato are the final two, so we don't know what's going on in Mellark's mind."_

_"Well, how about we go to the viewers! What do you think, Panem? All our lines are open!"_

_"While they give us their input, Ceaser; I will tell you that we've actually been monitoring the Sponsors for the last six hours. They all agree, Cato's a massive disappointment. They expected a war, and they got nap time. Even if Mellark's luck changes, Cato will go down in history as the first Victor for Two who blundered into it."_

_"A huge letdown for his District. Districts One and Two have a long parade of triumphs, and suddenly their star for this year is... I'm trying not to use the words 'toyed with', but it's the only thing that fits. Who would have expected a contender like Mellark to come out of District Twelve?"_

_"Certainly the sponsors never did. I've been receiving calls in the Control Room from some of the wealthiest names in Panem, telling me to either force a showdown, or just finish off Cato. It's not like anyone can see him as a Victor now, win or lose."_

_"Seneca, I'm going to interrupt you there for a moment. We've got a caller on the line, with a truly unique idea. Go ahead, caller."_

_"Hi, Ceaser. I'm a big fan... Um, you guys have been talking about Peeta's interest in Primrose's sister like it was a tactical move during the Interview, but after watching this, I think it's for real. See, if Peeta wins, then he has to go back to Twelve and face Prim's family. But if he loses, he's a dead man. So he can't do it."_

_"Well, there's an interesting ending for the 74th Games, hey Panem? A Victor who won't win, and a challenger who can't win. Your thoughts, Seneca?"_

_"Remember when we thought of the Tributes from 12 as 'the challengers'?"_

_"Remember? It was yesterday. Hahaha! I love it!"_

_"What I will say, Ceaser; is that we've never let a stalemate last for long, and I think we know the audience is getting restless."_

* * *

There was nothing to do until Cato woke up. Peeta knew it, just waiting. The Commentators talked endlessly, but they were just marking time. Katniss and Gale said nothing for a long while, just... waiting. Everyone was waiting for the finale.

But in the Everdeen household, the silence was growing oppressive. "Katniss?" Gale asked finally, though he couldn't think of anything else to be said.

Katniss didn't look at him. "I want Cato to die." She said, soft and simple. "He killed Prim, and I want him to die."

Gale nodded.

"I've never met Cato. But I hate him. And I hate District Two, just for sending him to the Games." Katniss was working it out like a math puzzle, just trying to get to the end of the equation she'd never considered. "And yet, if it wasn't him, it'd be someone else. And if it hadn't been Prim, it'd be someone else. How can this be so clinical to the Gamemakers, when it's life and death to us?"

"Because it's not their life, or their death." Gale said darkly. "They do the betting, we do the dying."

**"That's it!"**  Katniss lurched to her feet. "That's really it! That's the thing I've been trying to figure out since my mom asked me if I blamed Peeta for Prim!"

"What?"

"Something changed, between Prim getting stabbed and you getting whipped. It felt... It felt  _the same_ , and I finally get why! We do the dying.  _And_  we do the killing! But Darius didn't  _want_  to whip you, any more than Peeta  _wanted_  to fight Thresh, or any more than Prim  _wanted_  to kill Rue!" She looked at Gale. "But we're all doing it anyway! Because that's what the Games are all about!"

Gale nodded. "We do it to each other, and then The Capitol doesn't have to."

"And Peeta won't do it at all!" Katniss pointed at the screen. "You know why he let Cato live? Because he doesn't want  _anyone_  to die. Not even his enemy. I finally get it. The Game is meant to  _make_  me hate Cato, and make District Two hate Peeta... But Peeta's not playing by the rules, because he doesn't have any hatred for Cato. Anger, sure; but  _hate_? He just doesn't have that in him."

* * *

Cato woke up with a groan, sat up. Peeta was five feet to his left, toasting the last of his bread over the fire. Peeta held it out to him. "Eat." Peeta said simply. "You haven't had a meal in two days. I'm from Twelve. I know how to be hungry. You don't."

Cato's hands were shaking a bit from dizziness and hunger when he reached for the food automatically. He froze, with the bread halfway to his lips, and put it down. "I don't want it."

"You want it. I can smell how much you want it." Peeta told him. "Look, I swear to you, it's not poisoned. That wasn't me. If I'd wanted you dead, I had three opportunities."

Cato ate, practically inhaling the thing. He was on his knees, shoving the toast into his mouth, totally without dignity or self control. Peeta stood upright beside him, looking down. It was impossible not to look at them and see Cato as a rabid animal on a leash, beside the very civilized Peeta. Cato sucked his fingers clean, while Peeta watched him, unreadable.

Cato stood up, but didn't move. He'd charged twice and fallen into a trap. And now Peeta was just... standing there. "What's going on?" Cato asked finally.

"We're the final two." Peeta told him.

"We have been for longer than I've been awake." Cato countered. "What are you playing at? Why didn't you do it?! It was yours! You had it! You must have tasted it!"

"Tasted it. Didn't like it." Peeta nodded. "What about you? Did you like it? They were babies, both of them. Was it fun?"

Cato glowered at him, and took one threatening step forward, eyes still roving around.

Peeta read his mind. "No." He said. "No more traps, no more snares. No more running. The river drained a few minutes before you woke up, the sky has gone dark. The audience is fed up with waiting. They want their Victor." Peeta doused the campfire with the last of their water. "Congratulations."

Cato froze. "What?"

"You thought I was waiting to give you a fair fight? Pistols at dawn, and all that? One problem: I'm not going to fight you." Peeta said simply. "You want it? Go for it."

Cato was still frozen, waiting for the trick.

Peeta stepped right up to Cato, and rolled his head back, baring his throat. "There it is, go for it! They're waiting."

"What are you playing at?" Cato hissed. "What game is this?!"

"This is the Hunger Games, Cato." Peeta said simply. "Last man to scream wins. That's what they want, right? To watch us murder each other? Only I'm not going to."

* * *

"He's serious, isn't he?" Gale was stunned.

Katniss didn't move as a single tear rolled down her cheek. "He said… Gawd, he said that he 'didn't want them to change him'. He said he 'wanted to show them that he was more than a piece in their games'." She turned her haunted, tear-filled eyes to Gale. "I didn't understand then, but I do now. Because if Peeta 'plays his part'? If he's just a piece in their Game, then so was Prim, and so was Rue…" She clenched her fists so tight she felt her palms bleed. "And they were more than that!"

* * *

"I'm nobody's executioner. I came in here with one goal, and I failed." Peeta said heavily. "You came in here for... what? The glory? The fame? The title? Well, you can have it."

Cato's eyes blazed. "Not like this."

"Why? You've killed helpless people before." Peeta needled him. "You want the crowds, the fawning groupies, the wealth? All you have to do is finish me, and I won't even fight you."

Cato's face changed, and he suddenly realized exactly what game Peeta was playing.

* * *

Katniss didn't move, but Gale burst out laughing. It was a dark, cruel, hateful laugh. They both got the point instantly. So did all of Panem.

"Crazy sonaofabitch did it!" Gale crowed. "He won the Game by refusing to play."

Katniss stared intently. "Cato's gonna kill him."

"Somehow, I don't think that's what Peeta considers a 'win'." Her mother said. She'd been so quiet the two of them forgot she was still watching. "And from the looks of it, I don't think Cato does either. Not anymore."

On the screen, Cato was still tensed for a straight up fight that wasn't coming.  _"Finish the game!"_  He yelled at Peeta.  _"Fight me!"_

* * *

"Look, I'll make it easier for you." Peeta turned his back on Cato completely, and gazed up at the sky, towards the cameras. "Hear ye!" He shouted to all of Panem. "I, Peeta Mellark, hereby declare to one and all, that THIS! IS! CATO! The Winner of the 74th Annual Hunger Games! Prepare your feasts, your glory, your adulation! Send him his women, his parades and his prize! Cato, the boy who won the Hunger Games..." He turned to face Cato at last. "...because The Man from Twelve showed him mercy,  _three_  times!"

Cato howled and went berserk. In seconds, he had Peeta flat on his back, and was beating him senseless. Peeta put his hands up to cover his face, brought his knees up to cover his stomach. Cato didn't care. He was kicking and hitting like a deranged lunatic.

"GET! UP!" Cato screamed. "FIGHT! BACK!"

Peeta gave him nothing. Didn't even look at him.

"YYYYAAAAARGH!" Cato screamed like a madman, and kept thrashing until he broke down gasping. He hadn't eaten in a while, and his energy was at its limit.

"I get worse than that from my mom when I burn bread rolls. Not used to hunger. Guess that includes weakness, low blood sugar, dehydration..." Peeta got back up, slowly. He was a messy stack of bruises and bloodied gashes, but he wasn't bowed. "Years of training and preparation, did you never consider what might happen if someone  _didn't_  run or try to kill you first?"

Cato collapsed, out of energy, head still spinning from being out cold for so long. "Can you hear them, Storyteller?"

"Hear who?"

"The audience. They're laughing at me. What you said, about my parades, my harem, my..." Cato groaned. "They'll be laughing the rest of my life."

Peeta said nothing. He didn't have to.

"You stole it from me, Loverboy." Cato groaned. "You have any idea how hard I  _worked_  for this? How long I've  _wanted_  this?! I've been looking forward to this my whole life! Status is everything back home. If I can't have a glorious victory, at least I should have had a glorious death, and now I got neither; because of you."

Peeta nodded. "Yeah."

"Bet they're having a great show now, huh?" Cato raged at the open sky. "Are you all having fun?! Are you entertained?!"

* * *

Haymitch looked around at the Sponsors. The most wealthy and powerful people in the world, and none of them were smiling. The Final Two was usually a festival, with everyone screaming and shadow-boxing with the screen. But this time, they were just... staring, numbly. One or two were looking away. Others were looking ill. The final two was meant to be exciting, thrilling, the pivotal moment... But not like this.

No. Nobody was being entertained.

* * *

There was a sudden sound of movement from the trees. Both boys jumped up quickly. "Mutts!"

"One way or another, they need to end this and crown a winner." Cato growled.

The two of them ran. It was immediately apparent that the Mutts were toying with them.

"What are they doing?" Peeta called.

"Herding us." Cato called back. "They want us at the Lake."

"The Cornucopia?"

"More cameras there than anywhere." Cato growled. "Still some weapons, too."

The chase went on, all the way to the lake. Peeta scrambled on the side of the cornucopia. The top of it was just out of reach. He backed up and tried to get a running start, but the sides were too smooth, frictionless.

Cato boosted him up, and Peeta scrambled to the top. Peeta turned around swiftly, holding out a hand. "Here! I'll help you!"

Cato stared at the outstretched hand like it was diseased. "You would, wouldn't you?" He scoffed, ignoring Peeta and going to the last of the weapons. "How many would you say there are? Ten of them?"

"Eight, at least. All different sizes." Peeta pulled his hand back, suddenly realizing what was happening. "If you win... that's a story that'll be told for generations."

"Yes, it will. And if I don't, it'll still be awesome story. And you'll be telling it for the rest of your life." Cato grinned savagely. "It'll be amazing, Twelve. It'll be GLORIOUS!"

The boy from District Two turned to face the mutts, weapons drawn, body armor secure. He charged, howling.

* * *

It lasted for hours. Long enough that Mrs Everdeen made it home, and settled into a chair. The slavering gnashing sounds of the Mutts made her turn the volume down as far as it would go, which didn't do much. The screens were hardwired to force everyone to tune in for the Games.

There was one camera on Peeta the whole time. He didn't watch.

The other cameras were all on Cato. He had defeated five of them before he was finally overwhelmed. The body armor kept him protected enough that they had to chew their way into him, but he kept swinging away at them until he couldn't any more.

Katniss kept her eyes on Peeta, as if keeping eye contact with him over television would make the difference.  _Hang on. Just hang on._

"I'm half expecting Peeta to jump down and try to help him anyway." Gale commented. "Come to think of it... the scorecard. He hasn't killed anyone yet. Fought a few, escaped a few..."

"Nobody can say he didn't beat Thresh or Cato." Katniss pointed out.

"I know. But... His score is Zero. No kills."

Mrs Everdeen nodded. "He's no killer."

"He's the first one to win a Hunger Games without killing anyone. Even that guy from Six had his hiding place found once." Gale sounded awed. "Who would have thought you could win the Hunger Games by not playing?"

Katniss was still watching the screen intently. "Gale... The Mutts. Do they look..." She shook her head. "No. They wouldn't. They couldn't!" She turned to Gale. "Tell me I'm imagining it."

But Gale had seen it already, and was looking back at Katniss' mother. The older woman was staring at the screen, at one of the smallest Mutts. "Prim." She croaked. "What did those butchers do to you, baby girl?"

* * *

At first Peeta thought it was because Cato was in easy reach. But two of the beasts were sitting at the base of the Cornucopia, eyes glued to him. They weren't howling, or trying to climb. In fact, none of the Mutts were even giving him a second look.

Peeta, moving in a dream, strung out eight different ways, with Cato's death hows ringing in his ears, slid down to the ground; looking closer.

But the Mutts made no move to attack Peeta.

* * *

_"Panem, I'm hearing from the control room now. They want to make it clear that the Mutts were not told to target Cato. In fact, the Mutts are specifically bred to hone in on the trackers, using the Game's Kill Count as a way of defining their first target. With a score of Zero, Peeta Mellark is actually borderline invisible to them! Can you believe that, Panem? I've never seen anything like this! It's one twist after another! What are they going to do to top it next year?!"_

* * *

"Next year." Haymitch repeated the magic words. He very deliberately rose from his chair and went to the bar; taking a whole bottle; not even bothering with a glass. Without a word, and a dour expression, Effie walked up beside him, took the bottle from his hand before he could sip; and slugged back a huge gulp of her own.

* * *

Peeta was staring numbly at the smaller two Mutts. One was small and dark, the other with blonde fur; and familiar eyes. "Prim?" He whispered brokenly. "Rue?"

The two Mutts came up and started sniffing Peeta softly, nuzzling him, examining his wounds. The one with Prim's features started licking at the wounds Cato had opened.

"Little Nurse." Peeta whispered, and hugged the furry beast tightly. "Oh gods, Prim. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I couldn't save you..."

And then the cannon finally went off. Peeta didn't look up from the fur he'd buried his face in. The Mutts all fled instantly. The smallest two pulled away from Peeta, and ran away without so much as a glance back at him. Peeta still hand his arms extended out after them, when the sun came back.

**"Ladies and Gentlemen, I Present to you: Peeta Mellark! The winner of the 74th Annual Hunger Games!"**

* * *

The Hovercraft was a blur. The medical team worked quickly and efficiently. The needle went in his arm and he slept. He woke up feeling warm and cosy, with silk sheets over him. After the last week, the luxury felt like a dream. A bad, worrying dream that would turn into a nightmare any second.

Peeta opened his eyes, and looked around. He was back in his room at the Capitol.

The dream-like quality continued as he came out to the living space, and found his Prep Team waiting, cheering for him excitedly, crowding around with their congratulations, their adulation.

Peeta felt like he could see through them, floating on his feet. Part of him wondered if he was still feeling the drugs.

But eventually, he figured out where Haymitch was. On the Roof.

* * *

"You haven't left the one place we can talk without being overheard." Peeta said as he came into the rooftop. "I must have screwed up worse than I thought."

Haymitch turned to him, with his flask in his hand. It looked like he'd had a few already. "Hey, kid."

"Not a word of congratulation?" Peeta quipped. "Everyone else seems to be happy for me."

"And yet you're up here, instead of downstairs, enjoying the attention."

Peeta sighed. "Seemed like that was the sort of thing Cato would do."

Haymitch nodded. "They're mad at you." He said simply. "Some of the things you said in the Arena? You don't say those things where people can hear them."

Peeta nodded. "It would have been a lot easier for everyone if I had just bashed his brains out while he was unconscious."

"Yes." Haymitch said seriously. "Yes, it would have. You actually went one further. Being a wildcard winner is tolerable. Doing it without killing anyone? That's a whole other level of different. People in power don't like things to  _be different_ , Peeta."

Peeta said nothing for a while. "If I had done it... Could I have saved Prim?"

"I don't know, but I do know you wouldn't be here if you had."

Peeta said nothing for a while. "I am  _haunted_  by the sounds of Cato getting  _gnawed_  to death."

"Kid, as much as I'd like to let you process that, we don't have the time. The nightmare is over, wake up and smell the much worse aftermath. I shouldn't be telling you this, but there have been Riots in Eleven." Haymitch commented. "Because of Rue. Nobody will tell me what's happening in Twelve at all."

"They murder two kids from every District every year." Peeta objected. "Why is this different?"

"Because you made friends." Haymitch told him. "The whole country heard you and Rue and Prim trading stories, singing songs, going on a freakin' family camping trip in the Arena. Peeta… that bread you got from Eleven? Can you remember ever seeing people from one District support another enough to Sponsor them?!"

"No." Peeta admitted. "Sponsors are only ever Capitol citizens, or home team support."

"District  _Eleven_  likes you, Peeta. The Capitol doesn't approve of that! An Alliance that doesn't end in betrayal and murder? Bad news for them."

Peeta let a breath out between his teeth. "What would you have done?"

"Well, for starters, I would have picked anyone but the two smallest people for Allies." Haymitch groused. "But that can't be helped anymore. You saved yourself by hiding in Cato's camp. They wanted you put down, and through sheer dumb luck, you managed to avoid everything they had ready for you. They couldn't send the Poison snake Mutts into Cato's camp."

"Do me a favor, and don't ever say the word 'Mutts' again." Peeta growled.

Haymitch gave a grudging nod. "For what it's worth, that was a bridge too far, even for the Capitol."

Peeta looked over. "Yeah?"

"The iconic moment of the Games is you and the two smallest Beasties, having a tender, teary moment in the dark. After your little eulogy, it was too much for the Mentors. I may be the only Mentor in Twelve, but the Career Pack had a whole team of Capitol Darlings. The Mentors nearly threw a riot themselves; and none of us are Victors by accident."

"Did it make a difference?"

"To the Games? Not that much. The official ruling is that the bodies get sent back when 'their time in the Games are over'. The Gamemakers found a way to put them all back in for a final round." Haymitch pulled his flask. "It made a difference to Seneca Crane, though."

"The Head Gamemaker? How so?"

"Well, after the 'Official Ruling' blew up in their faces, we were given the 'Real Story', which is that the Mutts were designed to  _invoke_  the Tributes, but nothing to do with the bodies; and 'shame on you for suggesting the Gamemakers would treat their honored Tributes that way'. The Mentor Pack didn't by it, and we were all set to put a few 'questions' to Crane in person, but he had to cancel the appointment, on account of a slight case of death." Haymitch nudged the young man. "You keep all that to yourself."

Peeta almost laughed. "Well. Not exactly a 'win' to be proud of…"

"A win? Kid,  _what_  do you think is happening here?" Haymitch threw back his flask, gulping hard. "You managed to wipe out the favorites, you had  _two_  Districts united behind you, and you lived when they specifically wanted you to die. You shamed the Capitol Audience into weeping over their victims for the first time in seventy four years, you kept the moral high ground the whole time by not so much as scoring a single kill; and you even got the Head Gamemaker taken down, from inside his own Arena." Haymitch reached into Peeta's jacket pocket and produced the Mockingjay pin. "And you did it all while flying the colors of rebellion."

Peeta felt a thrill of horror go through him. "How bad is this going to get?"

"Hard to say, but trust me on this: Everything in the Capitol is about Status and Symbols of Status. You embarrassed them. You even made them feel bad, just for a heartbeat. You made them look at themselves, instead of whatever diversion they were throwing. This is the Capitol. Shame is a weapon, but not one that unwashed masses like District Twelve get to use."

Peeta couldn't meet his eyes. "They don't forget these things, do they?"

"No." Haymitch agreed. "I'm afraid The Game isn't over yet, Victor Mellark."

"It was a mistake, but it wasn't wrong. It was…" He rubbed his eyes. "Haymitch, they were babies, both of them."

"They were less than five years younger than you." Haymitch reminded him.

The tears started coming, finally; the rush of emotion, the drop of adrenaline, the near-death experiences, everything he'd been pushing away since the Reaping started hitting him. "It's wrong, Haymitch." His breathing hitched hard, came out as wet gasps. "They turned us all into murderers, and then they turn us all into Monsters!"

"All except you." Haymitch told him gently.

"Does Katniss even get a body to bury, or just a put-down Mutt?" Peeta snarled, tears forming. "This. Is.  **Not**.  _ **Right!**_ "

"I know." Haymitch said, and it was the gentlest Peeta had ever heard him. The grizzled man came over and put his hands on Peeta's shoulders. "I know it, kid. I know."

Peeta shivered hard, looking out over the city with his Mentor, sobbing.

* * *

Haymitch wasn't the only one to be afraid for him. As he came back to Twelve, Madge was the first face he saw, meeting him on the train. "My father will be in soon, to congratulate you and welcome you back. There are some papers to sign and some official words that he hasn't needed since Haymitch. After the speech, there's a Tour. Everyone turned out to see you." She said to Peeta, before reaching out and pulling him against her tightly. She turned her lips to his ear, her voice quiet and quick. "They're mad at you. Hug me back. They're almost certainly listening."

Peeta put his arms around her automatically. She was here for a reason, and he let her talk.

She clung back tightly, making it look like a joyous reunion. "Peeta, the day after the Games, we were all sent back to work. There was… A demonstration, in the Mines. Some of the workers? They pulled a sit-down. They didn't fight back, they didn't shout abuse. They just sat down and refused to work. They were matching your pose with Cato, at the end of the game."

Peeta swore under his breath. "And?"

"And it spread. Sit-Downs in the mines. Sit-Downs in the Yards. Peacekeepers responded by torching the Hob. Everyone had to go back to work or starve."

"My family?"

"Possibly the only safe ones in town." Madge took a breath. "Peeta, Gale was the first one whipped. He went berserk after Prim."

They'd pushed the embrace too far, but Peeta had to ask. "Katniss?"

"She didn't even cry. She just died inside. I had to slap her to get her moving when Gale was in trouble. Nobody's seen her since the Games ended. When that Hovercraft picked you up, she just walked off into the woods; and hasn't come back."

They broke the embrace, and Peeta had no trouble working up tears. "It's good to be home." He grit out for the benefit of those watching.

* * *

There was a huge crowd when Peeta stepped off the train. There were ten thousand people in Twelve, and it felt like all of them were trying to cram their way into the Square. The Victors were the only national celebrities left; and Peeta was the the only Hometown Hero they'd had in decades.

Everyone was cheering the instant Peeta came into view. The train attendants started unpacking the parcels of food. Being the winner meant Twelve would eat actual people-food for a while.

There was a hastily arranged stage and podium with a microphone. Peeta hadn't been born yet when the last victory speech was given at the Platform in Twelve.

Peeta stepped up to the microphone; the crowd settling enough to hear him speak. "Everyone from Twelve knows that what I'm about say is true: As I look around this place… It's still a trash dump just waitin' for someone to be careless with a match."

The crowd laughed, entertained. Peeta was the hometown hero now. He could say anything he wanted. But even that had an undercurrent of warning. The Hob being torched was fresh in everyone's mind. Peeta was warning them that it could happen again, and telling them that he knew what had happened in his absence.

"But I have to admit, I don't think I've ever seen anything more beautiful." Peeta continued, and the crowd went ballistic again. Once they settled, Peeta spoke, tears forming in his eyes. "I would also like to say…"

Peeta's voice suddenly went thin and dry. There was a sudden charged silence as people followed his gaze. At the back of the crowd, Peeta was the only one who could see her clearly from the stage.

Katniss had come to the station.

Her face was unreadable. She didn't come to him. Peeta nearly fell off the podium in his rush to get down to her. She didn't come any closer, letting him come to her, through the rapidly parting crowd.

The cameras were all glued to the moment they came face to face. It was later described as the most televised moment in the history of the Victory Tours. While required viewing, they were never the most exciting part of the Games. Except today.

Peeta came to Katniss, close enough to touch; but he did not reach out. Neither did she. Peeta finally made the first move, reaching into his jacket; and pulling out Prim's Mockingjay Pin. Peeta wept hot, silent tears without shame, as Katniss' eyes fixed on it, there in Peeta's hand. She stared at it like she could still see Prim's blood on the gold. There was still dead silence in the station when she finally reached out and took the pin from him.

Peeta was equally silent as she pinned the Mockingjay to her jacket, directly over her heart. She still said nothing, but she lifted her free hand enough to cup his cheek with her fingers. The cameras got a perfect angle to see the way he rocked on his feet, just from her lightest touch.

Without a word, Katniss turned and walked away from the whole scene. She hadn't so much as looked at anyone but Peeta since her arrival; and he'd forgotten the entire District immediately, staring after her until she was out of sight.

The cameras stayed on Peeta as he shuffled slowly to the microphones again. By the time he made it to the Podium, the entire crowd was saluting him, three fingers; thumb and little finger touching. They'd all done it as one.

Peeta returned the salute without hesitation. His speech was forgotten completely, as he gave the last word. "The Mockingjay Lives."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Reasoning for this chapter:
> 
> In Mockingjay, Katniss expressed most of the 'Who Is The Real Enemy' sentiments in the battle for Two. The Games and The War had similar themes, with the Districts being gamed into fighting each other. As an outside observer, Katniss got there faster than she did as a Tribute. Also, there's a lot of feedback demanding to know why Peeta and Katniss aren't in love yet. The answer is: Because they've had exactly one conversation. In the Trilogy, Katniss would have wound up with Gale, had she not tied herself to Peeta completely. (And that's assuming she'd let herself wind up with anyone, given her worst fear was losing her kids to the Arena.) The story is listed as a Katniss/Peeta fic because his love for her is still his entire motivation; and she dedicates a big chunk of her time in this fic to Peeta's life.
> 
> I haven't yet decided if I'll cover the next two books. There's a lot of baggage attached to Peeta now; at least for Katniss. Her epiphany lets her think of Peeta without homicide; but in the Canon, losing Prim was what drove her away from Gale; and they were lifelong friends. There's going to be a journey to take.
> 
> As to Cato's showdown with Peeta; it was inspired by the final showdown in the Canon. Cato raging at the sky as Katniss aimed her last arrow at him; he knew he wasn't going to win; and he hated the Audience for it, in his final moments. Also, in the Canon, Peeta didn't have a single Kill. He fought to protect Katniss, and took the fatal hit, and he left berries for Foxface to eat; but that was an accident. In this scenario, I decided to make it a deliberate strategic choice. Peeta was concerned with 'staying himself' in every version of the Hunger Games Trilogy.
> 
> If I elect to continue, it'll be added onto this story; and not a separate sequel; but as with the books and movies, this is the end of Part One. Hopefully, where it stands now, you can see how the progression will continue. Peeta is alive, Katniss has taken on the post of 'The Mockingjay' and the whole Country was watching as Peeta exposed the Games for what they are.
> 
> What happens next is still a somewhat open question; given that we haven't met any of the other most important players yet.
> 
> Read and Review!


	6. Passive Resistance

Peeta answered his door in Victor's Village. Gale was there, looking worried. "She's gone again!"

"I know." Peeta said quietly. "She'll come back."

"I don't think she will. She stays out longer and longer, every time… Peeta… Twelve isn't her home anymore, is it?"

"No." Peeta reached over to an end-table in his foyer, and produced a large basket of food. "For Mrs Everdeen. And you'll find another for your family, waiting at your place. Take it to her for me, please?"

"You can go yourself, you know." Gale pointed out. "She doesn't blame you."

"Nobody does." Peeta admitted. "And that's almost the worst part."

Gale took the food for Katniss' mother, left the basket for his own. "Tell me if she comes here?"

"I will." Peeta promised.

And for a split second, until the door closed, Peeta could see Gale's face change. _He knows I'm lying._

* * *

Peeta came into his kitchen, and knelt down to nudge the narrow shoulders curled in a ball by the fireplace. "I wish you'd visit Gale, at least once in a while. Gale has five more mouths to feed and an eleven hour workday. He doesn't need to worry about you as well. I don't like lying to him. Not even for you."

Katniss didn't move. She slept a lot now. "So let me go."

"The door isn't locked."

"You know what I mean."

"No, I really don't." Peeta said honestly. "You come and go often enough. How am I keeping you here? I won't deny I'd make you stay if I could, because I honestly think you won't come back one day. Gale agrees. That's why he's in such a panic."

"I won't starve. Not in my woods."

"No, you won't. Not if you don't want to. But there's no reason you should starve in my kitchen, either… And yet, you don't eat." Peeta sighed. "Maybe  _that's_  what I'm worried about."

She said nothing.

Peeta tried again. "Why won't you see your friend, Katniss?" He asked quietly. "Did something happen with Gale?"

She didn't answer for a long time, before finally she nodded.

Peeta let out a breath hard. "I think I can guess what it was. But it's the same thing that happened between us before I left. You still come here."

Katniss said nothing.  _For now, at least._

"I wouldn't blame you if you hated me." Peeta said quietly. "You're not the most open person when it comes to feelings, and I poured my heart out all over the place. On live television. It's not fair to you. In my defence I expected to be dead by now, but I wouldn't blame you if you hated me for it."

Katniss said nothing.

* * *

Gale wasn't wrong. Katniss had been spending more and more time past the perimeter. Her loyalty to her mother was always out of obligation since her father died, and now it was growing thinner every day, without Prim there to keep them together. With the Hob closed, everyone had to apply for extra, back-breaking shifts. Gale in particular had a lot of mouths to feed. He couldn't search the woods for Katniss.

But not long after Peeta returned, the fence had been electrified again. Darius was feeling the eyes of the Capitol on him.

Victor's Village backed onto the woods, and Peeta was able to let Katniss hop his own fence and reach the woods that way. But the extra security, and the Hob being shut down, meant she couldn't bring her 'kills' back with her. The only person she could feed in the woods was herself. And she knew it too. Peeta had been feeding all the people that the Hob kept alive, spreading his winnings around.

Katniss knew Peeta wouldn't let her mother starve. She could have left the District entirely and not missed anything or anyone in it, except for Gale… And Peeta. When she came in from the wilderness, she checked on him. He always fed her, though she hadn't been aware of hunger since Prim died. She was never a healthy weight, and no matter what delicious meal Peeta had painstakingly prepared for her, she could barely taste it anymore.

Katniss observed that he wasn't eating much himself. She wondered if it was solidarity with her or guilt. Most days, she didn't have it in her to care.

But there was one thing that forced Katniss to come back. It was the same thing that compelled Peeta to let her hide from everyone else in his home.

* * *

Gale limped home from the double shift; feeling pulverised. His wages were burning a hole in his pocket. It would be enough to buy enough rice and cabbage to keep his siblings fed for another few days. Long enough for him to work another double shift.

Having the Hob closed was keeping the Entire District under heel. Gale had been able to parlay a rabbit into enough food to do the same job; and it didn't make him ache half this much. He hadn't been in the woods for weeks; and it felt like he was starving in a far more fundamental way.

And he was starving for Katniss too. He couldn't remember a time he'd gone this long without seeing her.

Hazelle met her eldest son at the door. "Gale." She said with a smile. "You look miserable. I'll draw a bath for you."

"Worth it, to keep the kids alive." Gale groaned. "But you shouldn't waste the firewood. Enough fire to heat up a bath for me? Save it for winter. I just need to lie down for a minute."

"Ohh, we can afford it." Hazelle commented. "Peeta stopped by. He wanted you to know Katniss was okay… And he dropped off a gift."

"Gift?" Gale came in, and his eyes bugged out. There was a basket of food on the table. Enough food to let the kids sleep through the night for a week. More food than Gale could earn in a month. And it was so much more than cabbage and rice. Actual  _fruit_. Loaves of  _bread_.

Gale couldn't help but feel a pang.  _It's so easy for Peeta now._ Gale pushed that thought away instantly.  _Whatever else it may have been for him, 'easy' is not the word._

"I'm going over there." Gale said.

"Why?" Hazelle demanded. "To tell him you don't want charity? Or to say thanks?"

_Not sure yet._ Gale admitted to himself.

Hazelle grabbed her coat quickly. "I'm going with you."

"I don't need someone to hold me back."

"Yes, you do." Hazelle said. "I know you'd rather starve than accept help, but the kids aren't so particular. If you aren't going to do it, someone should thank him."

* * *

The door to his house in Victor's Village wasn't locked. Gale led the way in slowly, Hazelle at his heels. There was music echoing through the house. Elegant formal music. Gale followed it, and came into a large room; where Peeta was centre stage. Around the edges, there were Stylists, there were cameras, there were a few Avox, serving drinks to all the people that Gale had never seen before…

And right in the middle of the room was Peeta, with his arms around Effie.

Hazelle covered her mouth with one hand, smothering a laugh. Gale's head tilted, trying to process this, and after a few moments of watching them sway; it finally made sense: Effie was teaching Peeta how to dance.

Gale was still staring blankly, when one of the Stylists noticed Gale and let out a trill. "Ooh, new people! Peeta, is this one of your staff? Because he's tracking coal dust into your house." The man with bright green hair and purple eyebrows snapped his fingers quickly, and the Avox snapped to work, hurrying to the hallway, scrubbing the polished floors.

Peeta turned. "Gale!" He blurted. "Great to see you; um… what brings you by?"

Gale shifted from foot to foot as the Avox shined his shoes on the spot. "Well, I came to say something, but I'll be darned if I can remember what it was just now..."

Peeta's eyes flicked around at the bizarre scene. "Yeah, um… Give me a minute. Meet me in the kitchen?"

* * *

The kitchen was empty, which surprised Gale. But there was tray after tray of finger foods in easy reach of the door, ready for the Avox to serve the assembled company upstairs.

Gale had to admit, the feeling of jealousy was there. The jealous anger of poor, broken-down people for the rich and well-fed. Gale was still aching in places he didn't know he had, after ten hours of trying to claw coal from the rock without a break, or a meal. Seeing Peeta in his luxury house, learning how to slow-dance; while tray after tray of luxury food was passed around? The divide between the rich and the poor in Twelve was never more apparent.

Peeta came in a moment later. "Sorry about that… The house has been sitting empty for more than seventy years. The Capitol always make a spectacle of the latest Victor, so they sent a crew of decorators to make it pretty; and of course, that brings the cameras; so that bring the stylists… And the Decorators all had support staff of their own; so it became something of a circus."

"Effie seemed to be in her element." Hazelle observed.

"Yeah, the dance lessons? The Camera Techs all wanted to run 'color tests' or some such. Something about my skin tone, versus natural light… Effie's been prepping me for the Victory Tour. Banquets include dancing; and I don't know how; so I need lessons. Effie is an Escort. She finally has someone to Escort twice, so she's getting awful protective of her job…" Peeta trailed off when he noticed the abrasions on Gale's face and hands. He'd had a hard day and could care less about how Peeta looked on television. "C-Can I get you anything?"

Gale was about to tell Peeta what he thought of the whole entourage, when he noticed the kitchen counter. The huge collection of food was… divided. There were empty baskets on the counter. Baskets like the one sitting on the table at the Hawthorne household.

_He's making other deliveries._ Gale thought.  _To who?_

Peeta noticed him looking. "Um, Gale… The Webbers are your neighbors, right? Can I ask you to drop that off to them? I kind of had an awkward moment with their kid today…"

"Awkward moment?" Gale asked.

Peeta winced. "I saw them on their way to school. Their daughter turns twelve the day after tomorrow. I-uh, I wished her a happy birthday, and she kind of… Burst into tears."

Gale swiftly understood. "First time her name goes in the bowl?"

"Families with kids are sort of… afraid of me, now. I know for a fact that her father traded at the Hob; and… I thought if…" Peeta's voice was shaking.

"You thought if you sent them a care package, then maybe they wouldn't need Tesserae." Gale finished. "I'll make the delivery."

Peeta said nothing for a long moment. He looked like he was waiting for someone to tell him what to do.

"I hear you're making deliveries to the Everdeen's as well." Hazelle commented, breaking the awkward silence. "Among others."

Gale's ears pricked up. "I remember, before you left, you thought that she'd never accept anything from you, if came back…"

"Katniss wouldn't. Her mother is... " Peeta trailed off, unsure how to phrase it. "Rue and Thresh had a bargain, that if one of them went home, they'd look out for the other's family. I could do no less for Prim."

Gale looked at Peeta again, noticing him properly this time. The make-up was to cover things up; and in the low kitchen light, Gale could see through the attempt. Dark circles under his eyes, hunched shoulders; and his clothes were loose. Peeta was losing weight. Surrounded by food, Peeta wasn't eating.

_Rich, but not well-fed._  Gale realized, looking to his mother. Hazelle nodded discreetly. She'd seen it too. "Well, Peeta." Gale heard his voice say. "I just… wanted to thank you for your generosity."

Peeta looked relieved. "Oh. That's nice of you. You're welcome to stay for dinner, of course? The Circus should be back on the train by then."

* * *

"You should have said yes." Hazelle told her son as they walked home. "Peeta's still trying to process the Arena. And if neither of you had ever met Katniss, I'm quite sure you and Peeta would be great friends."

Gale shivered. "Possibly true. But if the Webber kid gets Reaped next year, and our next door neighbors feel raw about it? Is he still our best friend then? They watch the kids when you have to work the same time as me. We need the folks next door, and we need'em more than we need someone from Victor's Village."

Hazelle froze. " _This_  is what you're thinking?"

"It's what Peeta's thinking." Gale hefted the basket for the Webbers. "About everyone in town."

* * *

Peeta had two obsessions since coming back. One was cooking. The other was painting. He went back and forth between the two. When he'd painted long enough to make his arms hurt, he returned to the kitchen, and found Katniss had returned. "Hey." He said to her.

She said nothing.

"Gale and Hazelle were here before." Peeta said. "After the team from the Capitol."

Katniss said nothing. She never stayed when company was in the house.

"Are you worried others will be able to find you, or do you just not want to see anyone else?" Peeta asked.

She was already asleep.

* * *

The next Parcel Day came; and Peeta made his appearance at the Station, passing out food. It was for the Cameras from the Capitol. Peeta had been handing out food since he'd moved into Victor's Village. Things in Twelve were tight enough that nobody refused him; but everyone knew it was his tortured conscience as much as any kindness.

Peeta delivered the Parcels to the Everdeen home personally. Mrs Everdeen waved him in and went through the parcels of food with a watery smile.

"She's okay." Peeta whispered without looking at her. "She's at my place. She doesn't stay, and she never says anything, or eat much, but she's safe."

Mrs Everdeen relaxed, but didn't look away from the parcel.

"I wouldn't blame you if you hated me." Peeta said quietly. "Because I came back and she didn't. Of course you wanted it to go the other way."

She said nothing for a while. "Peeta, it's not like you volunteered. None of this was our choice. That's the problem with the world. We don't have any choices." She rubbed her eyes a moment. "And even without all this… I always knew I'd lose Katniss the second Prim was old enough to take care of herself."

Peeta carefully avoided that. "I've heard tell about how things happened in your house after the Mine collapse. Are you… okay?"

"I wasn't cowardly. I was unwell. I'm in a better position to treat myself now, but-"

"After the Victor's Ceremony, a man from the Capitol walked me through the list of things I would receive in my winnings, for my whole life." Peeta said swiftly. "Medicine was at the top of the list. Apparently certain drugs are in high demand for Victors. For more than health reasons."

"Please, tell me you're not one of them." Mrs Everdeen said with warmth and worry.

"I'm not. But give me a list of whatever you need, and I'll promptly get sick. They can't stop me sharing food. Meds, you need to clear it with someone who can write prescriptions. Most of the doctors involved will rubber-stamp a Victor's prescription, but-"

"Stop trying so hard to make it all okay again. You won't bring her back, no matter how bad you feel." Mrs Everdeen cut him off, and squeezed his shoulder tightly; changing the subject. "I ran into your mother this morning. I gather that things are not going well at the Bakery."

"Oh?" Peeta said with careful disinterest. His mother had lost almost all her business since his return from the Arena. Prim's little story about Mother Mellark giving her youngest a black eye over bread rolls had gone national. The Mellark Bakery was mostly for the 'wealthier' side of town. With the Parcels being distributed to the Winner's District, there was no urgent need for their usual customers to visit a bakery managed by a social Pariah.

"Your mother keeps hinting that Katniss should come by. Prim always handled the shopping. Everyone liked her. Especially your father."

Peeta rolled his eyes. "My mother thinks that if Katniss comes to the Bakery, I will follow." He couldn't help the wry smirk. "She's probably right."

"You step foot in that Bakery, and your mother will declare all to be forgiven." Mrs Everdeen reminded him.

"I honestly don't know if I care." Peeta admitted. "My brothers have the sense not to… take advantage of my new Status; and they got out of that house as fast as they could. I have no idea what my father thinks. Mom is almost at my mercy for the first time; and she doesn't know how to handle it." He shrugged. "Neither do I, really."

"Do you… have anyone? On your side, I mean?" Mrs Everdeen probed gently. "Victor's Village is just you and Haymitch. I know for a fact he can't keep so much as a maid." She gave him a maternal look. "For all your sudden wealth, you've been through five kinds of hell; and you're still seventeen. You're all alone in that house, Peeta."

_I was alone in a house crowded with relatives, this side of two months ago._ Peeta thought. Aloud, he kept it neutral. "Not always."

* * *

Another few days passed. Peeta had responsibilities before his Victory Tour. Katniss came and went unpredictably. When she was there, she stayed on his hearth. He kept the fire burning for her as the weather turned. The kitchen was still the coldest room in his house.

"I wouldn't blame you if you hated me." He said again, quietly. "If I had just killed Cato the first time I had the chance; Prim might be here right now."

Katniss said nothing. Peeta leaned against the side of the fireplace. He didn't sleep well anymore, and the warm stone lulled him into a doze by the sound of her breathing. When he woke up, she was gone.

* * *

Two more days, and the routine held. She would appear at his fire; and he would confess another reason why she should hate him. She would say nothing, and he would close his eyes and fall into a doze; only to wake after she had gone. On the second day, he awoke with a blanket over him.

On the third day, she was back by the fireplace. A mangy cat was at her side. "Prim talked about Buttercup." He said quietly. "We told each other all the stories we had to tell."

Katniss said nothing.

"The last thing she said to me…" Peeta whispered. "Prim's last word was for me to look after you."

"I know." Katniss whispered, and Peeta felt buoyed by it. She would often go for days without speaking.

"If she had told me to stay away, I'd still want to look after you." Peeta admitted, though it wasn't a surprise. He'd said it to her every time she came by.

"I know." Katniss sat up slowly, achingly. "I was so mad at my mom for being like this when Dad died. She just faded out, right in front of us. I was screaming in her face, and she couldn't hear me. Then it happened to me. If Gale hadn't been whipped, I'd still be curled up in a ball on the floor of my house."

Peeta sat with her, stoked the fire. "You love him, don't you." It wasn't a question.

"Please don't ask me to sort that out. I can barely remember my own name anymore." Katniss stared into the fire.

Peeta nodded. "Okay."

Long silence. They could spend hours like this, not speaking; staring at the fire. Peeta got up and went to work in his kitchen, preparing a meal. It took him an hour or so, and she didn't move the entire time. Stews, soups, breads… more than Katniss would usually eat in a week. He put a plate beside her, but she didn't reach for it. The cat was not so particular, eating without hesitation.

"He follows me into the Woods sometimes." Katniss said of the cat. "I don't know why. I still say we should have drowned him and made mittens. But Prim adored him. He never stops hissing at me, but he keeps following me into the woods."

"You and that cat are not so different." Peeta commented. "Hardened survivalists who happen to love a particular someone more than anything else in the world." He tossed the cat a few more morsels and sat beside them. "They think animals don't have emotions, but they do. Maybe the cat's trying to figure out how to live without Prim, just like you are. Why wouldn't he want your company for that?"

More silence. Katniss went into her numb fugue for a while, and came out of it when Peeta added more firewood. She saw the shadows dance, and realized she'd been curled up, staring numbly at the fire for hours. It was actually getting dark. They'd spent all day sitting by the fireplace, not speaking.

Katniss said something finally. "I don't know why you care about me. I don't know why Gale would. I'm not loveable in any way. It's not a personality flaw. It's a deliberate action on my part. Because my worst fear was to be left like this. I loved my dad. But if loving someone means you were so completely breakable, isn't it better to just go without? If only to keep breathing?" Katniss shook her head. "And then it happened. When your worst fear comes true, you don't fear anything anymore. But then you and Gale… The only thing worse than this would be to have it happen again. And again." She looked back at him. "About halfway through the Games, I realized you were doomed. Because you weren't playing to survive. And I realized that if it came down to you and Prim, you'd never 'try to win', purely because of me. Your love for me doomed you to die horribly, and somehow it  _still_  turned out worse. That happened to you, Prim got killed, Gale got the lash; and all because we care about someone more than we care about ourselves."

It was the most words she'd said to him, ever. And Peeta hated himself for all of it.

"Being on my own forever doesn't frighten me, Peeta." Katniss summed up. "It's my only source of comfort."

Long silence.

"Katniss, I cannot make you eat." Peeta admitted, not moving. "I'm the only guy in the District with food, I'm a good cook, I can offer you lavish meals, piles of money, a huge house, and clothes for a Queen… But you just aren't hungry. Not for anything." He wiped a tear away. "I would give you everything you could ever want, if only you wanted something."

Katniss said nothing.

"I love you. And I loved Prim, for as long as I could. Promise me that you'll take in enough fuel to keep Prim's last words true; and I will never ask you for anything else. I won't ask you to enjoy it. I won't care if you can't even taste it. Just… Think of it as fuel, for Prim's sake."

Katniss scowled and reached for the now-cold plate, eating what Buttercup had ignored. "Silvertongue." She grumbled. "I'd strangle you for using her name to make me do what you want. But you're right. She would hate to see me like this."

Peeta nodded.

She ate silently for a while. "I come here when I dream of Prim." She finally confessed. "My father showed me an old cabin, miles away in the woods. Been there since before the Dark Days. I go out to my woods, and it's easier than being here. Prim never went to the woods with me, so there's less of her there. Back at the Everdeen house, everything is Prim. Absolutely everything brings her back. So I stay out there forever, but when I dream of Prim, in the Arena… I have to come here."

"Why?"

"I don't know." She admitted. "Maybe because I can walk through the old house and see Prim's entire life. Except for the ending. That happened far away. The only thing Prim and the Arena had in common was you."

More silence.

"What you said, about how being 'unloved' was a comfort to you?" Peeta offered finally. "Thing is, you have never gone unloved a day in your life. Even if you didn't know it, even if you didn't want it; since we were five years old, you had at least four people willing to walk through fire for you. Five, if you count your dad. Now it's three; and I'm sorry for that; but it's still more love and devotion than a lot of people get."

"More than you had with your family?" Katniss guessed.

Peeta winced, not going there.

"I don't mean to be so self-pitying." Katniss said quietly. "I just… Can't summon enough  _anything_  to let that make a difference."

"I know."

She looked over. "I do blame you." She said seriously. "If you'd just finished Cato off…" She shook her head. "What you said, before you left; about not wanting them to change you? If Prim was here right now, what would  _she_  have done to  _you_  to make it home? So I blame you. I blame Cato. I blame myself, for not volunteering sooner; and I blame Effie for not letting me volunteer after. I blame the Capitol, I blame the Gamemakers, I blame and blame and blame. I lie here counting all the people I hold responsible, and I'm dead and hollow inside by the time I'm done."

The little speech seemed to suck the life from both of them, because every word was true.

"I have deliveries to make." He said finally, and stood up. "If you ever have trouble remembering, come back here; so I can tell you: Your name is Katniss Everdeen; and you're my favorite person in the world."

Silence.

"Gods, I'm tired." Katniss lay back down and curled into her protective ball again.

"I have beds. Guest rooms. The house is huge, and I'm the only one living in it."

"I'm fine here." Katniss yawned. "I can sleep on nails these days."

"How I envy you." Peeta said grimly. "I can hardly sleep at all anymore."

* * *

That comment stayed with her, and she uncoiled later that night, creeping on silent feet to his bedroom. Peeta was having a nightmare, moaning. He wasn't thrashing around. He was paralyzed. A feeling she was familiar with.

_Prim had nightmares, the day of the Reaping._  Katniss thought distantly.  _Peeta's dozed beside me at the hearth for three days; and he never has nightmares when he's next to me._

Peeta was still twitching in his sleep, like he wanted to claw at his sheets, but the nightmare kept him trapped in place. "Katniss!" He moaned wretchedly. "...Run! Please!"

Katniss heard that and her heart hurt. His nightmares were of her. And there was no chance that she was the enemy in his head. After the Arena, his haunting nightmare was that she might be in some kind of trouble.

Part of her wanted to react the way she did to Prim's bad dreams. To go to him, wrap him up tight in her arms and ride it out.

But Peeta loved her, and Katniss couldn't encourage more of that.

* * *

Weeks passed. Katniss went to the woods, slept at the cabin her father had taken her to as a child. Prim had never been there, so it was distant enough from Katniss' broken memories. She stayed in the woods, fed herself; and came back to town once or twice a week. Common enough that Peeta could check the fireplace in his kitchen and know that she wasn't dead yet.

Peeta cooked and painted, almost obsessed with both pastimes. He was creating desperately; conjuring food to feed the whole District, one meal at a time; and the painting to exorcise his nightmares, banishing them into canvas. There were always plenty more where they came from.

Autumn got colder, and she stayed on his kitchen floor for two days in a row.

Gale had asked about her every day until the coal mines had their quota to the Capitol raised; and then he couldn't; broken down and exhausted by the double-shifts.

Katniss slept. Peeta painted. Haymitch drank. Gale worked. One way or another, they were filling in the days; as if waiting for something to happen.

Then, with three more days until the Victory Tour; it did.

* * *

Katniss had spent the night on Peeta's kitchen floor by the fire. She was shaken awake by Madge, who had scampered in the back door as silently as she could. "Wake up, Burnout. We gotta get you outta here."

"What's going on?" Katniss groaned.

"My father got a call this morning. He didn't know I was listening in. Trust me, you don't want to be here right now. Peeta has company coming for Brunch."

Katniss looked to the kitchen. A box of sugar cookies, a few rolls. He'd been up early, baking breads and rolls as he always did. But there was nothing now. Peeta had invited people over before. Hungry families that would sit in his dining room and leave with leftovers. "If he had company coming, he'd be cooking." Katniss turned over to go back to sleep.

Madge nearly picked her up and carried her. "He would, if he knew it was happening."

* * *

Peeta returned to his house, and set the empty basket down. He'd been delivering food. He told himself he wasn't picking houses with kids in particular, but he was. Peeta found he couldn't walk past the school anymore; wondering which kids would be the next ones reaped. During school hours, he delivered food to their houses; as an apology or a pledge he wasn't sure.

But when he came in, he found two Peacekeepers waiting in his foyer… and two other guards in black at the staircase. Black uniforms, instead of the usual Peacekeeper white.

Presidential Guards.

* * *

_President Snow is sitting in my dining room, reading a book._  Peeta thought numbly.

Snow noticed him instantly, and raised a finger for Peeta to wait, eyes on his book. Snow read to the end of the page, and very deliberately set a bookmark in place. Peeta was still pole-axed in the doorway.

The visitor set his book down. "Ahh, Mister Mellark. Please, come in." Snow invited Peeta into his own house jovially.

"Mister President." Peeta said, trying to shake the pins and needles that had spontaneously covered his whole body. "Well, I'm not sure why you're here, but I'm sure this is a conversation my father never had."

"No, I imagine not." Snow agreed; and gestured for Peeta to sit across from him. There was a plate of cookies on the table. "I hope you don't mind, but I had my people check the kitchen. It's odd how often people forget that Presidents need to eat as much as anyone else."

Peeta's eyes fixated on the cookies. He'd made them the night before. They had been sitting on his kitchen counter.  _The Kitchen. Where Katniss was._

"Mister Mellark, you and I haven't had the opportunity to speak, beyond a momentary encounter at the Victory Celebration." Snow continued politely. "So, usually there are protocols and procedures… I think this will go better for us both if we just be honest with each other."

Peeta nodded, fighting for cool. "As you say."

Snow smirked, sensing advantage. "You go first."

_He's not here to talk about the weather._ Peeta racked his brains, trying to find a subject that was honest, but unlikely to get him flogged. "I'm told Seneca Crane is… dead."

"He is."

"May I ask why?" He already knew, but wanted to hear Snow's reasoning.

"He made a mistake that many in his Role have made at one time or another. He was under the Impression that the Hunger Games was a television show, or an athletic competition. He forgot their true purpose." Snow's eyes narrowed. "You, on the other hand… I watched your Games with great interest. You knew exactly what game you were playing, from the moment that cannon went off."

"I didn't expect to win." Peeta admitted. "Or at least, I didn't expect to survive."

"And yet you have done both those things." Snow commented. "And most people have seen it as a boy simply not wanting to kill; or as a young man who took the Victory, and lost his lady love. A tragic love story that everyone can get behind… But there are some, some few; who have watched your tactic, and seen… an example to follow." Snow's voice was colder than his namesake. "A way to win the Game, simply by refusing to play." Snow scoffed a little. "And if a boy from District Twelve, of all places; can win something like the Hunger Games, purely by refusing to play by the rules… Then what is to prevent them from trying the same trick?"

Snow drew a handful of photographs from within his jacket, and slid them across the desk at Peeta. The boy looked, and saw something chilling. Pictures of workers. In Lumber Yards. In Steel Mills. In factories.

And in every photo, some of the workers were sitting down, on the floor. Not fighting back; but not obeying, or taking part in their work. Just like Peeta had done with Cato in the Arena.

"You have uncovered a singular truth, Mister Mellark." Snow commented. "Something that Seventy Four Years of peaceful Capitol Rule has never seen before. You've shown that Resistance can be a Passive state. But, of course…"

He was leading him somewhere, and it didn't take a genius to guess where. "But of course, a riot can be put down in a straight fight. A Sit-Down is something else." Peeta said. "If people just sit down, and you crack their skulls for it; then you become the villain in the story."

"Exactly. But if I let things go as they are; then I have a greater problem. Because if people can organize work-stoppages; then they can organize something less… submissive. Obviously, I can't punish people for doing nothing. Not the usual way. I have to put them back to work. I have to find ways to… motivate them; before they decide to take the next step."

Peeta swallowed.

"What would motivate you, I wonder?" Snow asked, as though thinking out loud. "It's not as though you did a good job of keeping the important people in your life a secret-"

"You take one step towards Katniss and I'll kill myself." Peeta said instantly. "I'll make it as obvious and as loud as I possibly can. Your own granddaughter will be convinced you did it with your bare hands. Wonder how people will react to that?"

Snow's eyes flashed. "Well now. There's an interesting angle. One I hadn't considered."

"You know I'll do it." Peeta said with a certainty he didn't really feel. "I was willing to do it in the Arena if it came down to me and Prim. For Katniss? Won't even blink. If me being dead was in any way a good thing for you, I imagine I would have had a tragic accident already. But nobody will believe that, and that's why we're having cookies right now."

"They are excellent cookies." Snow agreed. "But as it happens, I am less concerned."

"How so?"

"Your threat, I am sure, is quite genuine. As was your intention in the Arena, if things had gone a different way. But all your strategies make sure that the only one put at risk is you." Snow rose. "No. You do not have it in you to build a power base, or rouse rabble. Because you know that if you do, they will be in danger. And you can't bring yourself to put others in danger. Only yourself."

"True enough. But if you do move on Katniss, or her family, or my own… I'll follow through; and your sit-downs become uprisings."

"Stalemate." Snow agreed. "One where neither of us has to do unpleasant things. I can live with that... for as long as you can."

"Meaning?"

Snow smiled at him from the door. "Enjoy your Victory Tour, young man."

Snow left him on that. Peeta ran to the doorway as quietly as he could, tracking the man as he left the house. The second his security team shut the door, Peeta bolted for the kitchen. She wasn't there. He searched the corridor. No sign of her. He ran for the stairs.

* * *

Katniss was in Peeta's bedroom, looking over the path to the street. Victor's Village was a ghost town. There was Snow, walking to his Car, with security flanking him. But none of them were looking up. None of them were looking for Katniss Everdeen, with her father's bow, at the window behind Snow. He was the only one with white hair. A clear target.

Peeta always left the window open when he slept, even in winter. She had pulled it wider to climb in once the guards had searched the house on their arrival, and pushed it back where it was so they wouldn't notice when they left. She'd been stalking jittery woodland animals her whole life, and walked on silent shadowfeet.

The window was only open a few inches. If she opened it further, his people would notice. She had three inches of clearance, and that meant she had only a few moments where Snow would be in range.

A small window, but an easy shot, by her standards.

With a totally expressionless face, Katniss drew back her bow. "For you, Prim." She whispered...

And Peeta tackled her from behind. "No!" He hissed, grabbing at the arrowshaft. "Don't you dare!"

Katniss was on him immediately, teeth bared. "Stay out of this, dammit! That snake has to die!"

They were wrestling, raging at each other, while being as silent as possible. Nobody wanted the sharp ears outside to notice them.

Peeta hadn't been eating as much as he should, but Katniss had been half-starving herself slowly since Prim. He held her down like she was made of feathers; arms around her in a bearhug that lasted until they both heard the car outside pull away.

Katniss stopped fighting instantly, knowing she'd missed her chance. "I hate you." She said to him, exhausted again. "Why are you protecting him?"

"I'm not protecting him." Peeta hissed back, letting her up. "I'm protecting you! You have any idea what would happen to you if you'd taken that shot, succeed or fail?!"

"I don't care!" Katniss suddenly started screaming. "I DON'T CARE! She's dead! Prim is dead!" It was the first time she had said it out loud. She suddenly couldn't stop saying it. "She's Dead and she's gone and she's not coming back!  _She's dead, Peeta_!"

"And you're not! And I have to keep it that way!" He yelled back desperately. "It's Not Just You! I'd be dead, you'd be dead, my family, your mother; Gale… Hell, probably half of Twelve would be carpet bombed in retaliation if it happened here!"

"I don't care about any of that either!" Katniss yelled, and swiftly put a hand over her mouth, eyes wide.

Dead silence.

"You really mean that, don't you?" Peeta whispered, so… terribly, horribly sad.

Katniss was already running.

* * *

Gale was exhausted. With the Hob closed, Gale had to lie about his age to get a job in the mines. Nobody believed that, but they didn't stop him. Gale was working double shifts to feed his family.

So it took a while, at the frantic tapping at his window, for him to wake up and open the window for her. "Katniss! Are you okay?!"

Katniss looked haunted. "I haven't been in the woods this whole time. I was also at Peeta's." She told him. "This won't mean anything to you, but... I didn't mean it. The things I said to him? I didn't mean it. I  _do_  care about Twelve. And you more than any of them."

Gale stared blankly at her 'confession', and pulled her in through the window. "I'm just glad you're okay."

Katniss threw her arms around him. "I didn't mean it, Gale! You have to believe me!"

"I do." Gale promised instantly, trying to calm her. "I do."

Katniss broke down sobbing. "I don't know why I say and do the things I do anymore." She confessed. "I don't understand myself anymore. Not without Prim."

Gale hugged her tightly. "The people who know you best are still here. If you don't know, we still do."

* * *

Peeta was packing for his Victory Tour. Katniss had not returned since the day Snow had visited. He kept firewood stacked by the kitchen hearth, just in case.

Now that Snow had mentioned it, Peeta suddenly saw the 'Passive Resistance' happening everywhere. The Hob had been shut down, but none of the people who traded there had been arrested. The Peacekeepers were too quick to burn it down, without taking names first. The posted reward for information was unclaimed. Hungry people, choosing to stay hungry, rather than rat on each other. The quotas on the Coal Mine were being filled precisely. Not a single lump of coal more than the Capitol demanded, no matter that there could be bonuses. Just enough to avoid the charge of disobedience.

_Snow was right._ Peeta thought. _The people here are so hungry for change they're almost willing to do something new. They're stuck at the limit of actually doing something. A tiny push is all it would take to cross a line._

* * *

The starting day of the Tour, Haymitch came to collect him, and the two of them walked to the Station. Gale was waiting for them at the Station steps. He faced away from Peeta, speaking quickly. Anyone watching would think he was reading off the noticeboard "She's safe. She's at my place now. She says to tell you she 'didn't mean it'. In fact, it's almost the only thing she's been saying for a day and a half."

Peeta relaxed and let out a breath like he'd been holding it for a week, and turned so that anyone watching would think he was talking to Haymitch. "Gale, there's food at my place. Help yourself to whatever you can carry while I'm gone. Keep her safe."

"We're fine." Gale said immediately. He still didn't want to take charity. Not from Peeta. Not even from Katniss.

"Not for you. For the Everdeens. I had a care package that Katniss was supposed to deliver, but she didn't make it. You will see that Katniss and her mother get the food? And anything you want to take as payment for the delivery, you can have."

Gale gave a single nod, still not looking at him, and turned to leave without another word.

"What just happened?" Haymitch asked, looking back and forth between them.

"Believe it or not, I think Gale and I just formed an Alliance." Peeta admitted grimly.

"In my day, when two young men loved the same woman, they'd have the decency to hate each other." Haymitch scoffed.

"I'm not that lucky."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go again!
> 
> First, a few points of order: Many thanks to everyone who commented on Part One of this AU. You're the reason I decided to come back for the other two books.
> 
> Secondly, you'll find that Parts Two and Three (Both of which will be added onto this story as chapters, rather than broken up into separate stories) are more in-depth than Part One. The reason for this is because we're deep into another timeline now. Part one of the AU only had scenes where things diverged; but as of Peeta's Victory, it's all uncharted territory.
> 
> Third, I remembered too late that Gale's mom is named 'Hazelle' and not 'Hazel'. She's already in part one that way, and she is not a major character, so going back to correct it in her few conversations is not an immediate priority. Don't be confused by the correct spelling from here on out; it's still the same woman.
> 
> Now, onto new business: We learned in Mockingjay the sorts of things that were expected of Victors. Peeta and Katniss' 'romance' protected them from that, because Snow wanted Katniss to perform a very different service to the Capitol. With Peeta as a solo Victor, that's now changed somewhat. *How* it has changed is rather the point of the story, so I won't say more just yet.


	7. Angel's Light

Peeta expected the train to give him flashbacks, but it didn't. The table in the Dining Car was one chair less than the last trip. Nowhere for Prim to sit. Other than that, it was the same train.

Effie was on Cloud Nine, walking him through the Itinerary.

"You'll have to give a speech, of course, honoring the fallen Tributes." Effie said brightly. "Once the Public Affairs are done, each District will have a Banquet, you'll meet the Mentors of each District… Oh, and that reminds me, I have your speech here."

Effie started fussing with the papers as Peeta turned to Haymitch. "The other Mentors?"

"Who else do you invite to Victor's Banquets?" Haymitch grunted, pouring himself a drink. "Don't worry, kid. None of them are going to want revenge."

"Cato's Mentors will." Peeta countered.

"The Mentor Pack from Two is huge, and Cato was the first one they were embarrassed by in forty years." Haymitch yawned. "You broke him without a weapon, or a single Kill. They don't know what to make of you, but they don't hate you. They're trying to decide if they should be impressed."

"About time they were impressed!" Effie said brightly. "The other Districts have been ignoring Twelve for twenty five years. You reminded them not to overlook us. Ah!" She found the page and thrust it at him. "Your speech! Enjoy yourself, Peeta! Nobody since Haymitch has gone on a Victory Tour; or seen the other Districts. You deserve this, Peeta! You earned it."

She was so bright and cheery about it. Peeta was famous for always knowing what to say, but right now he was reliving half a dozen brutal deaths in his head. "Earned it." He repeated, voice flat. From somewhere, he could hear Cato screaming.

Haymitch had a hand on his shoulder quickly. "It's what they give the guy who goes home alive. You didn't do anything more than that."

"Haymitch!" Effie shrilled. "You're his Mentor! Stop undermining his confidence!"

The blinding pain in Peeta's skull suddenly evaporated. Listening to Effie berate Haymitch with that bubbly steel restored his equilibrium instantly. "Yeah, Haymitch. It's a big, big day!"

"It is!" Effie trilled, pleased, and tapped the speech in his hand. "Read that a few times. You'll have to impress when we get to District Eleven. Remember, the crowd responds to sincerity. If you can fake that, you've got it made!"

She swept out, and Peeta turned to Haymitch. "What must it be like in Effie's head?"

"I hear you." Haymitch threw back his drink and poured another. "Listen… Ten more Districts after Eleven… Then the Capitol. Just…" Haymitch rubbed his eyes for a while. "Remember what you were fighting to go home for."

Peeta wouldn't know what that meant until they reached District Seven.

* * *

Peeta looked out over District Eleven. Everyone was staring back, as if waiting for a cue, waiting for a sign. Peeta's eyes were glued to the two screens, showing Rue and Thresh. The faces sent a spike through him. Standing before the posters were two family units. Peeta knew immediately they were the families. Rue's sister looked almost exactly like her… If Rue had been able to grow up a bit more.

The microphone whined with feedback. They'd turned up the volume, as if that was why Peeta hadn't said a word yet. From behind him, Peeta could hear Haymitch clear his throat; even from inside.

 _If I try to help them, I've signed their death sentence; and my own._  Peeta said, eyes on Prim's family; Snow's warnings ringing in his ears.  _If I don't try to help them, then Snow won. I'm damned if I don't, and dead if I do._

Peeta looked at the cards… and then put them away. To the microphone, he finally said something. "Say their names."

The audience didn't even hesitate.  _Rue. Thresh_. Their names echoed around the square like a prayer.

Peeta looked hard at their families, who were stoically staring back, too used to the horrors to let themselves weep for their lost children.

"I wouldn't be here without the both of them." Peeta said. "And I'm sorry I failed to return the favor. Some promises you can't keep in the Arena. This I have learned. But… Before I left on my Tour, I asked for special permission to say thank you. I asked President Snow directly; and he was generous enough to grant me permission… to donate a month each of my Victor's Rations to both Rue and Thresh's families; every year for the rest of my life."

There was a silent roar that grew to murmur at his announcement. It had never been done before. None of the Alliances had ever extended outside the Arena. There was only ever one Victor.

Peeta looked to the cameras. "Thank you, President Snow. You do indeed have the heart of a Victor."  _Probably more than one. And would no doubt like to add mine to your collection._

There was a round of applause. The families were weeping now. Losing their kids couldn't break them, but an act of kindness could. That's how unexpected it was.

Someone whistled Rue's tune to the Mockingjays. Peeta couldn't see who. But at the moment the tune rang out, two dozen Mockingjays flapped their way up from the crowd. Almost a dozen people had smuggled them in, waiting to release them at the signal.

 _A dozen people._   _This was planned_. Peeta thought sickly.

The Peacekeepers that lined the stage started pushing their way into the crowd; but the move had been too passive, too hidden. There'd be no way to tell who whistled, or who released the birds…

 _Unless they informed on each other._ Peeta knew that would never happen.  _It would never happen in Twelve, either._

* * *

Haymitch said nothing until they made it back to the Train. "Hope you know what you're doing, kid." He growled.

"I couldn't do nothing."

"Why not? Everyone else in the country does." Haymitch sneered. "I told you that Snow was worried about Districts pulling together. You think this calms that down?"

"That's why I gave him the credit."

"Peeta, Snow doesn't care about credit. Only control. If he thinks you're looking for wriggle room in his cage… which you are… he'll end you. He'll take your goodwill, and beat you to death with it. And by the way, you just used his name to do what you want, without his knowledge. What do you think he'll do with  _your_  name, now that you've introduced that tactic?"

Peeta hesitated. "I don't know."

"You think their families are going to get the food? Say they do. What else do they have to lose in return? Thresh had siblings. Their names are in the bowl." Haymitch pressed. "I tried to game the system once, and I took more than forty kids to the Arena, two-by-two. They never lose, Peeta. They  _never_  lose."

"I'm not ready to sign my soul over, just like that." Peeta grit out.

"You will be." The old man said with absolute certainty.

Effie bounced up to them quickly. "Peeta?" She said, voice subdued. "There's a call for you. From your father."

Haymitch stiffened, but Peeta didn't notice. "My father?"

* * *

Peeta picked up the phone. "Dad?"

"Peeta, before I start, I just want you to know that everything's okay."

Peeta turned to stone. "Why do you want to start with that?"

"There was an accident. Your brother, Kal? He was crossing the street outside the Bakery, and he got clipped from behind by a truck."

Peeta froze. "He's… Kal is okay?"

"He's got a busted arm, but he'll make a full recovery." His father reported. "Odd thing, but the Peacekeeper that called in the accident told me to contact you about it right away. Something about an interview that'll have to be rescheduled."

 _There is no interview._  Peeta gripped the phone hard. "Dad, when was the accident?"

"Half an hour ago."

 _Right after my speech._  "Right." Peeta said carefully. "Can I talk to Kal?"

"Hang on, I'll see if he's awake."

There was a scuffling sound as his father set the phone down. Peeta spoke anyway. "While he's gone… Whoever's listening to this phone call now? You can tell Him that I got the message."

Two second silence. Then the call disconnected itself.

His father didn't call back.

* * *

The Victory Tour continued. Peeta made no effort to improvise around the speeches Effie wrote for him. District Ten and Eight were nearly rioting already. District Nine pulled a sit-down  _en masse_ , as though saluting him. The Peacekeepers hustled him away from the Podium as they sought out people to make examples of.

District Seven was next, and things changed.

* * *

Peeta returned to his rooms on the train, changing clothes. The crowd's eyes on him, weighing him, dissecting him… And worse of all, the ones that were almost pleading with him. Even before the speech, the smalltalk with local leaders was tinged with a kind of judgement, as though they were weighing him up, seeing what he was made of; wondering how he was going to…

 _To what?_ Peeta asked himself wistfully.  _What are they looking for when they stare at me?_

Peeta could still feel their gaze on his skin. He felt like he needed a bath.

 _Well, that much is easy._  Peeta went to the  _ensuite_ , stripping his shirt off…

And found the tub was occupied. A young woman was luxuriating in his bath, nudging the taps with her toes. She looked up at a stunned Peeta, making no effort to cover herself, and no effort to conceal the way she looked him over. "Hello."

Peeta turned bright red and turned to leave the bathroom quickly. With the door shut behind him, he wondered if he'd imagined it.  _Maybe I'm dreaming. My dreams are pretty wild. It'd be nice to have regular teenage guy dreams for once._

The door opened again, and she was there, wearing a towel, hair dripping over her shoulders. "So, as I was about to say: Hello, I'm Johanna Mason."

"I know who you are." Peeta nodded. Even if he didn't recognize her from the Games, she'd been in Twelve on the Victory Tour for the 71st Games. "But seeing you on TV and seeing you in my tub are very different things." He gestured at the door to the corridor. "I know I got the right room. I can't imagine there was an emergency that required an immediate bath."

"I ran out of bubble bath in my place." She excused. "So as long as I was nearby for the Banquet, I thought I'd come and see if you had any."

"Your bath didn't have bubbles."

"You noticed." Johanna oozed sin as she looked up saucily at his face. "How nice."

Peeta flushed again.

Johanna looked at him a moment and sighed hard, the vamp immediately vanishing; pure business left behind. "Never been laid in your life, have you?" She commented, though it wasn't really a question. "That'll make this harder. Not to be indelicate, but some guys have hit a home run at least once by seventeen. Victors especially. Your whole 'thing' with Primrose's sister changed the map a little."

Peeta scowled; as he usually did when Prim came up. "What does 'home run' mean?"

"Doesn't matter. Old saying. I'm here to explain a few things." Johanna told him briskly as she went to his closest and dressed. "This is not a comfortable conversation; but you have a lot of uncomfortable conversations ahead. My experience: Have them frankly and directly."

Peeta gestured at the bathroom. "And that whole show with the bath was?"

"A way to get a read on just how fast you'll blush." She shook her head. "You're the most 'newborn lamb' of any Victor I've ever met."

Peeta looked at the expensive woman's robe she was now wearing and gestured at the closet. There were three closets in the bedroom car, and he'd never actually looked into that one before, but there were all sorts of alluring silks. "Why do I have women's clothes in my closet?"

"Right. Let's start there." Johanna turned and gestured for him to follow her. They sat down at the table in the dining compartment; and Peeta couldn't help but notice the rest of the train was empty. "You're a Victor. Ordinarily, during your tour, you'd have the option of a young woman in your quarters, on call."

"An Avox?"

"No." She said carefully. "She would have the same legal status, but very different duties. As part of your Prize. It hasn't been made public, of course."

Peeta blinked hard. "Really?"

"Does that thought appeal?" Johanna said with no judgement, just trying to read his response. "I understand that Cato left a note with his Mentors to have at least three waiting. Blonde, brunette, and redhead. I have it on good authority that he specifically asked for a blonde that looked as much like Glimmer as possible." She read the look of disgust that crossed Peeta's face. "Mm. I'm glad to see you're better than that; but I'm a little worried that I can see your reaction so easily. You're going to need a poker face when it comes to such things; because The Capitol is not subtle. Sleaze, scandal, and gossip are the currency where this train is going. If that horrifies you, then the Capitol will not accept you."

"Good." Peeta said shortly.

"Bad." She corrected. "Very bad. What the Capitol does not accept, it will chew up and spit out the bones."

Peeta suddenly realized what was happening. Johanna was warning him.

Johanna took a breath and collected a plate of food, mostly to give her hands something to do. "Mellark, I'm sure you're aware by now that The Games are nothing but a way of exercising control. Lesson Number One: People are Meat. Their lives, and deaths, are for the amusement and excitement of the Capitol audience. But that doesn't just apply to Tributes. That's the rule for everyone in Panem. Being a Tribute just means it happens on television. As a Victor, you are not free of that. In fact, as a famous face, the Games are only just getting started for you."

"Okay." Peeta nodded.

She took a breath, and Peeta realized she was trying to be nice to him. "How much do you know about your sponsors?"

"From the games? Nothing at all, except that I'm the first Tribute from Twelve to get a Second-Tier item."

Johanna nodded. "In fact, that 'camp kitchen' was curious enough that someone in Power asked why. See, that gift came from a Sponsor that didn't often send items into the Games: A woman named Tigris. She was a stylist, about twenty Games back. She spent a sizeable portion of her savings getting you that stuff." She looked him in the eye steadily. "That contribution saved your life, and got her an Invite to the Presidential Mansion for the end of the Victory Tour. Tigris will be expecting a return on her investment."

Peeta nodded, waiting for her to explain. Then it hit him, right between the eyes. "Miss Mason, you said that 'ordinarily' I'd have someone here 'on call'. What changed?"

"Ordinarily, it would be part of your Victory Tour; with an option of keeping her as part of your Staff once the Tour was over." Johanna explained gently. "But this is not your fate; because Victors are Meat too, only more expensive."

Peeta froze. "And Tigris already paid a deposit by sponsoring me so extravagantly."

Johanna nodded, sympathetic. "We all get this talk. Usually, it comes at the end of the Tour, before the Mansion. But Tigress paid extra to be your first Client; so you need to know the facts earlier than most."

Peeta looked sick. "You went through this too?"

"All the Victors do. The attractive ones, anyway. The others play different parts. I told you: To The Capitol, we are Meat. And The Capitol is the only town in Panem where meat is cheap and plentiful."

And then Johanna looked down and found Peeta was holding her hand. "You were younger than I am when you won your games." He said softly. "I'm so sorry."

Johanna blinked, derailed by that. His first response was sympathy for her?

_My god, they're going to eat him alive._

She pulled her hand out from under his and stood, gesturing for him to do the same. "Peeta, there is one thing you can deny them." She said softly, standing closer to him. "If you say no altogether, they'll make you pay for it. But if it matters to you… I'm willing. Some people wouldn't care. Some would care very much; and I don't know which you are. But this much can be your choice. We don't know each other, but I can be your first, before they can sell it off. Not to brag, but I can make it a more positive experience than what you'd probably get in the Capitol. I won't tell anyone."

Peeta's lips parted automatically as she rested a hand on his chest. "I… No. I just… I can't. No offense."

"None taken." She said immediately, stepping back to a respectful distance. "I've thrown a lot of crap at you today. You need to process. If you change your mind, I'll be at the banquet tonight. But after that, we won't see each other again until your Victor's Ball at Snow's Mansion."

* * *

The Presidential Manor always threw the biggest parties. The support staff was there for the glitz and glamor. The Society types were there for the distraction. The rest were there for the hedonism. The Manor had a whole wing of bedrooms left alone by security; the opulent square was converted for dancing; the fireworks were scheduled for after the Victor of the Year had arrived.

The rest of the Victors were making the rounds, catching up with friends; comparing outfits… And sharing what they knew about the latest member of their ranks. Each of them had met Peeta, one on one, during the Victory Tour of their respective Districts; but this was their first chance to compare notes without anyone listening.

Not all the Victors were in attendance, personally; but the Victory Celebration had rows of posters hanging from the ceiling with full glamor portraits of every Victor, going back to the first Games.

Among the Victors attending in person, Finnick Odair and Johanna Mason were Capitol darlings. He was a Socialite Cassanova, and she was a Vamp with a temper to match; both of them young and desirable. In a town obsessed with youth, sex, and violence; they were famous. As a result, they were frequently seen at parties together, always invited to State Functions. Johanna's eyes kept flicking to the door, even knowing the schedule.

"You're far away tonight." Finnick said to Johanna. "Something on your mind?"

"Peeta." Johanna confessed. "You and Haymitch were right. My usual moves didn't work. That's weird for me. They always work."

"That's why they don't work on Peeta." Finnick told her. "You're everyone's 'type', which is why Peeta's not interested. Some people aren't interested like 'everyone'. Mellark's like Annie. He needs it to be real."

"This is the Capitol, Finnick. There's no such thing as 'Real'."

"I know." Finnick sighed. "He got to you, didn't he?"

"They're going to eat the poor kid in small, quick bites." Johanna sighed with something like regret. "He's too damn nice."

"Yeah, but that doesn't get to you. He's not that much younger than us, and we've both seen 'nice' get chewed up before." Finnick commented. "So what is it?"

Johanna bit her lip. "I was on the train to meet Peeta, explain the rules to him; like you did for me. His first thought was to be sympathetic, since I was… If it had been Prim that survived, what would you have said? I know, nobody under a certain age has ever come out of the Arena, but... She was twelve years old. What would you have said?"

Dead silence between them, even over the music playing while they danced.

"God, we're monsters, aren't we?" Finnick glanced at Annie's picture, then back to Johanna. "You think there's something wrong with us, given that we can take it on the chin for our whole lives when nice guys can't stand it?"

"Possibly." Johanna said. "But any time I feel jealous of nice and normal people, I remind myself how much I hate them all."

* * *

Peeta entered the Presidential Palace last. He felt eyes on him every second. Effie was in her element, thrilled to be at the big parties at last. Haymitch gave Peeta an unreadable look and made his way to the bar.

Peeta's Speech was a thin variation on what every other Victor had said for Seventy Four Years. Snow's speech wasn't much different; and the party began in earnest with the fireworks.

Johanna was dancing with Finnick Odair, and smiled winningly over at Peeta, before giving her dance partner a quick kiss on the cheek, and swaying her way over to him; her words having nothing to do with the bored smile she showed the world. "How you holding up, Little Lamb?"

"You were right." Peeta said to her in a low voice. "I'm Meat. When I walked in, they all reached out to touch me as I walked past. I've never felt so… possessed."

Johanna nodded, knowing the feeling.

"How do you stand it, Miss Mason?"

"If we're going to get you through this, I really need you to start calling me Johanna. And to answer your question, all the people who couldn't stand it are already dead. One or two of them are Avox, serving drinks right now."

Peeta shivered.

"Keep smiling. You're still playing for your life, Little Lamb." She reminded him. "Think of something else. We all do."

"Can I ask you something I have no right to ask?"

She nodded.

"Finnick… He gave you the same 'talk' that you gave me, on the train; didn't he?"

Johanna was floored. "Yes. How did you know?"

"All these galas, they get put on television back home. You always have at least one dance with Finnick. Given his reputation, nobody blinks; but knowing what I do now; I can't believe he'd make a move on someone who's in the same foxhole. If I'm just Meat, certainly Finnick is too. So if you two aren't 'like that', I asked myself what the nature of your relationship could be. This is what I came up with… Given our relative ages… Co-conspirator seems about right."

Johanna nearly swallowed her tongue. In the space of three conversations, before even meeting Finnick, Peeta had managed to put together a startlingly close picture of things. "Well." She said to him quietly. "I'm never going to slow dance with Finnick again; that's for sure."

"So there  _is_  something going on." Peeta commented. "But you're worried about it being noticed, and-"

"Just…" She cut him off with a forced smile. "Just stay in your lane. Just for tonight."

"I know. I'm sorry. I just wish I could..." Peeta waved his hand vaguely. "I wish I could think like Finnick."

"Don't go comparing yourself to Casanova over there." Johanna scoffed. "Have you ever so much as kissed a girl before?"

"No. Well, once; but that was Reaping Day, so it doesn't count."

"Don't worry, they won't be expecting... experience." Johanna promised him. "In fact, they bid a lot extra on the assumption that you don't have any."

Peeta ignored that. "That's not what I meant." He said. "What I meant was, how does he do... that, and still keep Annie Cresta so close?"

"Annie?" Johanna froze. "What do you mean?"

"He's in love with her. " Peeta said softly.

Johanna paused, eyes scanning. Peeta was the guest of honor, so there was always someone watching. "Dance with me." She said quickly, and pulled him to the dancefloor. "So... what makes you say that?"

"Oh, it's obvious, any time he's in view of the Victor Posters." Peeta didn't dare point or gesture in Finnick's direction, in fact he turned his gaze completely to Johanna. "He only glances at her picture now and then, but it's like he has to physically stop himself from gazing at her the rest of the time. Like he has to remind himself there is anything else in the room."

Johanna was silent for a second. "We have successfully kept a number of the most suspicious people in the world safely unaware of that little bit of gossip." She said calmly. "And for quite a while, too. How did you see it in thirty seconds?"

"The crowds cheer and laugh at kids killing each other because that's what they're told to do. They wouldn't notice subtext without Ceaser screaming it at them in full technicolor. Snow's people are barely aware of what love is." Peeta scoffed. "If Snow knew how to love, he'd know how to see it all over the place."

"You're a romantic." Johanna observed. "How troubling."

"And you're not." Peeta observed back. "That's sad. I imagine any man lucky enough to have your heart would consider it the highlight of his life."

 _Is he even aware he's doing it?_ Johanna wondered, not for the first time. His words were hitting close to the bone. A pain that Johanna had successfully buried for years. "Well, anyway, in a few minutes, your 'date' for the evening will cut in. A few minutes after that, she will suggest getting some privacy. Be smart, and say how lucky you are. Then, just close your eyes and think of someone you'd rather be with. Good luck, Little Lamb."

* * *

It was worse than he could have expected. The woman in question was old enough to be his mother, maybe even his grandmother. It was impossible to tell, since she wasn't even human anymore. He supposed there must have been some human left in her DNA somewhere; but there was little sign of it from the outside.

Johanna had called her 'Tigris' and stepped aside quickly; as though charmed by the 'romantic' moment of her cutting in. Peeta summoned all his willpower to keep his face even. Tigris wasn't made up to look like a tiger; she was  _modified_. Her teeth were fanged and sharpened; her skin tattooed or in some way permanently altered to give her tiger stripes; and her hands had been surgically changed to give them a blatant appearance of cat's paws. But her face was the worst part; with some cosmetic work to make her cheeks rounder; her mouth more muzzled; and her nose lengthened. He knew at once the pupils of her eyes weren't done with contact lenses. She had gone all out to be as animal as human.

The overall effect was more feline; but too much time had passed. Twenty years before; she was surely a slinky, powerful, cat-woman. But now... Her 'fur' had greyed out; and her skin grown slack enough that the cosmetic surgery was obvious; everything on her starting to pull taut around the stitches.

 _This is what happens to Capitol Stars_. Peeta thought archly.  _What will I be in thirty years?_

 _You're still playing for your life, Little Lamb._  Peeta heard Johanna say in his head as Tigris led him to a bedroom. There were many of them in the Manor; and apparently all available to the guests.

* * *

Tigris drank. There was a full wetbar. Peeta said nothing as she fussed with the top button on his shirt with her...paws, trying to decide if she should unbutton it, or have him do it for her.

 _I told Katniss that I didn't want them to change me. I told her that I wanted to be more than a piece in Snow's Game._  Peeta thought desperately.  _How can I…_

"I know you." Peeta said to her suddenly, as though it just occurred to him. "I've seen you somewhere. On television."

"I was a stylist in the Games." Tigris purr-spoke; and Peeta realised her vocal chords had been altered too.

"I haven't seen you at any of the District Functions on my Victory Tour. Don't Games Stylists have dispensation to attend Official Events in the Districts they win for?"

"I went to those parties, once." Tigris went still, her claw-nails raking his shirt. "Until President Snow felt I was… an embarrassment to the show. I wasn't beautiful anymore."

 _She said it, point blank. She's probably never said it straight before. Not to anyone. She actually had to buy a date._ Peeta looked at her, putting as much sympathy as he could on his face. "Snow's an inch away from deciding I'm not worth trotting out for the cameras either." He admitted. "Tigris, Snow is older than both of us put together; and he still doesn't know what you and I know intimately."

Her head tilted, another cat-like move. "What's that?"

"That time is a  _privilege_. Age is denied to many people. People we knew. People we  _loved_." Peeta said, soft and intense. "Buying a teenager for the night isn't going to change that."

His tone was so gentle, but the words were brutal, and Tigris didn't know how to respond right away.

"You've been a Stylist for Tributes, and finally for Victors. How many years did they fail? Where are  _your_  Victors now?"

Tigris trembled a bit; her cats-eyes flashing. "They… sick. Hospital."

Peeta nodded; and picked her hands off him, holding them in his. "You saw my Games? Cato died, raging at the sky; because he finally saw what we both knew already: It's a Con. The Victors are all barely holding it together; even decades later." He cupped her face with both hands, very carefully scratching behind the ears. She responded like a cat; having played the part so long it was the only thing she responded to. "Winning the Games was the lie they told me; but what they told you was worse." He said in her ear.

She looked up at him attentively, the reason they were alone together forgotten completely. "What was it?"

"Someone sold you on the lie that you had to be twenty years old forever. And when that lie was proven to be cruel and pointless; they told you to go the other way; and be something other than human." Peeta looked deep in her eyes. "Tigris… You never saw Prim's mother on television. And she is beautiful; even after losing a husband and a child. My own mother a year younger still; but she's twisted with bitterness and cruelty."

And there, finally; held back for longer than Peeta had been alive, a single tear started rolling down Tigris' cheek. "They… they said it had to stop. It was like they were reading my mind." She purr-growled emotionally. "They promised me I could have… Well, more than Snow would give me."

 _She isn't talking about anyone from the Capitol._  Peeta filed that away. He'd think about it later. Right now, he was playing for his life, once again. "You. Saved. My. Life." Peeta said, gentle and sincere. "The cost of your Sponsor gift was more than my entire family would see in a year; but it saved me. And it gave Prim a fighting chance to escape the Careers. I would repay you with anything for that."

Tigris looked to the bed. "You would?"

"I would." He said gently. "So, you tell me: Is this really what you want; or do you want to be beautiful again?" Peeta asked. "Because that doesn't come from  _this_. Or from the knife, or the clothes. If the people of my District had to pick the best looking person in the Capitol? It would be Cinna; and he barely acknowledges makeup."

Tigris chuckled a bit, despite herself.

"Back in Twelve, we have no gems, no makeup; no pretty gowns; certainly no cosmetic surgery. The beautiful people? They're the ones that keep themselves… nourished. And I don't mean food. People who are kind. People who love. It shows on their face. They are rare. Work is all we have; and it is breaking. It wears people down. But the ones that can keep something good growing… It shows. Like Angel's Light, shining from them."

Tigris brought her pawed hands up to his face, stroking all over; like she was testing to see if it was a mask. "I think you would be beautiful there. If you get to old age."

"The odds are not in my favor, but of all the people who went into the Arena this year; I'm the only one that has the chance. And that's due in no small part to you." Peeta agreed; and hugged Tigris warmly, as if she was a favorite aunt. "Thank you for that, pretty lady."

Tigris was positively purring in his arms. "Angel's Light."

* * *

Finnick was watching the door, discreetly. Nobody else at the party even blinked. It was hardly an odd occurrence for a Capitol State Event. It was only a matter of time before Finnick had to head for one of the guestrooms himself.

The door opened, and Finnick made himself invisible. Tigris came out first, actually holding Peeta's hand. She gave him an emotional smile; and bent closer, nuzzling his cheek. They looked like old friends who had spent the night reminiscing.

Peeta said something to her, quiet enough that Finnick couldn't hear it, but it made Tigris smile.

Finnick quietly returned to the ballroom, and signalled Johanna that everything had gone well. They wouldn't speak again for a while; just in case someone was making note of that.

* * *

Peeta wandered around the rest of the party in a daze. The celebration was breaking up into smaller festivals; and Peeta felt like he could see through it as he walked through the Manor slowly. In one room; there were people pairing up; having drunken ruts against every flat surface in various combinations. Nobody seemed bothered by it; watching or joining in.

Out in the courtyards; there were kids play-acting out their favorite Hunger Games moments, while at the other side, their parents were having the Avox fight each other with the cutlery; blood splashing on the grass while the guests laughed and placed bets.

Indoors, there was a more clinical room; where some of the odder company were watching surgical procedures; debating the finer points of implanting feathers or scales, or mockingjay patterns, or Mutt teeth; lining up to converse with the surgeons, even as they carved the guests into unusual shapes and colors, champagne glasses everywhere.

In the 'bathhouses', there were people splashing around playfully, even fully clothed; while off to the side, rows of Avox helped the guests vomit up their stomachs full of food and drink; so that they could go back to the banquet and stuff themselves again.

And everyone was vacantly bored; smiling like this orgy of blood and sex and puke was just a dull party; something they'd seen a thousand times before. Because they had.

Peeta wandered through it all, unmoved by any of it. The guests in the banquet hall all became vividly aware of The Victor, reaching out to touch him; paw at him, wanting to be close enough to get a feel of the latest toy.

Peeta passed through them like a Ghost, heading for the door as quickly as he could. He was overloaded by it; feeling like all his internal organs were shuddering from the revulsion; and far worse, a little bit of intrigue.

_A person could become this. Certainly a Victor could._

The idea made him burn.

* * *

Peeta came back to his room on the train, knees still trembling a bit; and found he was not alone there. "Johanna. I was wondering how long you'd wait."

She smiled a bit, taking little bites of cake from his dining car buffet. She held up a little device. "This will let us talk for a few minutes without them listening." She said, and set the device down. "I have good news and bad news. The bad news is: You did well. So well, in fact; that you're in demand. Tigris is now welcome at the 'cool kids table' again; and nobody who matters is shy about saying why she has a certain spring in her step."

Peeta rolled his eyes. "And the good news?"

"We might have a way to keep you away from the rest of the jackals. But there's a catch." She took a breath. "I'm about to put my life in your hands, and trust to your poker face. So you can imagine, I'm fairly sure that I'm about to get myself ki-"

"I'm in." Peeta cut her off. "Whatever you and Finnick have cooking? If it's something that will make this all stop; I'm with you."

She stared blankly at him.

"Victors aren't often seen together on camera outside the parties." Peeta started listing on his fingers. "But you and Finnick have a past, and I know the gossip is wrong about it. When I brought it up, you looked pale. When I mentioned him and Annie, you nearly had a heart attack. Haymitch told me to be seen with you, so he's in on it. The Victors are colluding, and that alone is enough to have us all shot, so there must be one hell of a reason. By virtue of being Victors, you have influence, protection, and a special hatred for the Capitol. So, I'm in."

Johanna's mouth became a flat line. "I have been rehearsing this all night; and you just-"

"Oh, sorry. Do you want to say it anyway?"

"No, we're there now; you can't go back."

"Okay."

Johanna lowered her voice. "Finnick was my contact; and sort of my other half in our 'cell group'. But, as you pointed out; it's starting to be noticeable. So I need a new dance partner. Whatever you did with Tigris, it got her on board with us. Her first assignment is to arrange a cover story for us to be seen together. By the time this train passes back through District Seven, Tigris will suddenly decide we'd look good together in her latest fashion line. Given that she is suddenly relevant again, thanks to her connection to this year's most eligible Victor; she will get her wish; and you and I will finish the Tour together."

"To what end?" Peeta asked.

"You ever wonder why the Districts only communicate with each other in an Arena?"

"Keeps us from teaming up the rest of the time." Peeta nodded.

"Right. So we need a really good reason for someone from Twelve and someone from Seven to be seen together." Johanna explained, standing up. "Get some sleep, Little Lamb. We're just at the start of this."

"Jo, you said 'Tigris is on board with us'." Peeta called after her. "Who's 'us'?"

"One thing at a time, Loverboy."

* * *

" _The Capitol is buzzing at the news that Capitol Stylists, Tigris and Cinna; have begun work on a new fashion line. For this, we go to celebrity commentator, Patsy Black. Patsy?"_

" _Thank you, Ceaser. Named 'Angel Light', the new fashion line will focus on the Hunger Games Victors, who are apparently the inspiration for the work; which is said to focus less on alteration and glitz, and emphasize natural beauty and power; found in the greatest and brightest stars of Panem."_

" _It's what we've been saying all along, Pats. The privilege of being a Victor is the highest prize; and only the very best of our citizens can achieve it!"_

" _Right you are, Ceaser! Also, it's really exciting for people in my line of work. Usually, it's only state functions that have the Victors all together. We're told it took some of the biggest names in the Capitol to get special dispensation for this. The compromise is that only Two Victors at a time can be on Tour for the Fashion Shoot."_

" _With famous names like Cinna and Tigris behind the label; it's bound to be a sellout. Even the law can't hold that in check forever! Ahahahahaa! Love it! But, of course, it's unusual for the Victors. They don't often like to be away from their own beloved home Districts."_

" _Ohhh, I don't know about that. I was interviewing Johanna Mason when the news broke. She seemed happier to go to Twelve than you'd think."_

" _Ooh, do tell!"_

* * *

The deal was done quickly enough, and Johanna arrived in Twelve two weeks later. There was no hotel in town, so it was either Victor's Village, or the Mayor's House. Johanna gave a demure grin as she assured everyone that Peeta wouldn't mind a houseguest for one night.

It raised a few eyebrows, and the story made it back to Ceaser Flickerman's show before she had travelled from the train station to Victor's Village.

* * *

Johanna didn't sleep well. Back home she would have various ways to knock herself out. Here in Twelve, she didn't have many of them with her. The bed was unfamiliar, the room was bitterly cold, and everything in the District seemed to stink of coal dust and mud.

Her ears were sharp, especially in the still night. Twelve was a whole lot quieter than Seven, and she heard a sound that every Victor had hardwired into them. The moan of a wounded prey animal. A human animal, waiting to be put out of his misery.

 _He has nobody here. Not even staff. Not even Avox._ The thought came to her, and Johanna slipped out of her bed, heading across the hall.

Peeta wasn't thrashing around. He was paralysed, eyes dancing wildly under closed eyelids. "Run… kat… run!"

Johanna sighed, and went over to the bed, sitting on the edge of it. "Easy, Peeta. Ride it out." She said softly to him. Her manner was gentle, but not in any way seductive. This time, she treated him like a scared little brother. It suddenly dawned on her that  _he_  didn't smell like smog and mud. He smelled like fresh bread. An oddly appealing scent at midnight.

Her fingers stroking his face calmed him, his nightmare growing far less vivid. "Katniss?" He moaned out, and for a moment, she thought he was awake.

"Yeah." She promised him softly. "Yes, it's me. It's Katniss. I'm safe."

Peeta settled at once. Even asleep, delirious from nightmares; the sound of her name banished the badness. Johanna felt something akin to raw jealousy. Not of Katniss, but of  _him_. She would have loved a magic word like that. Something that could rescue her from dark dreams so completely.

Peeta was calm again, and Johanna suddenly felt her own tiredness hit her. She retreated to her guest room, knowing if she didn't get up fast, she'd fall asleep right there.

* * *

Johanna woke up and went down to his dining room. Back in Seven, there'd be a small army of Avox bustling about, preparing her food, doing her chores…

Peeta's house was empty. There was a note on the counter, informing her that Effie had arrived early and taken her escort with her. The note also directed her to the warming oven in the kitchen, where a large breakfast was waiting. Eggs, bacon, toast; fruit buns. There was orange juice waiting, and coffee in the pot, and the kitchen table was laid for her.

Despite herself, she was impressed. Peeta was a class act. He had done all this alone before she'd woken up.

He came in the back door with an empty basket, while she was halfway through her meal. "Morning." He said carefully, unsure when he saw her.

"Morning." She returned, setting down her fork. "Thank you for breakfast." She regarded him. "Did you sleep?"

He nodded, unnerved by the question. "Jo…" He said carefully. "I vaguely remember you coming into my room. Did we…?"

She smirked, taking pity. "No. I was there, but we didn't do anything." She told him. "Believe me, you'd remember." She gestured around. "Where is everyone?"

"Last I saw, Effie was forcibly taking your entourage on a tour of Twelve." Peeta reported. "Our combined entourage is setting up the shoot for when the stylists get here. Effie is playing Tour Guide. I think she wants to show off that she's far more capable than 'just' an Escort for the Lowest Side of Panem." Peeta still looked unsure. "Tigris covered your visit to Twelve. The TV is hopping about you staying here instead of some other VIP place. I'm not an idiot, Johanna. The cover story is you and me, isn't it? You need a reason to be seen with me, since it's too dangerous to be seen with Finnick now."

 _He worried he's betraying Katniss; and he hasn't even held my hand._  Johanna thought.  _Oh, they're going to eat this man alive._

"Peeta." She told him, not unkindly. "Don't mistake what we're trying to do with what's really happening. We're telling a story. When I say we have to work on your poker face? I mean it. You wear your heart on your sleeve, and if you can't give it better protection than that, Snow owns you."

"I know." Peeta sighed.

* * *

The circus returned to District Twelve. The first time an entourage came through, the District tried to make the most of it, offering food, souvenirs… This time, the Capitol guests were warned about the smell, the food, and the general filth that lived in the District; so they kept to themselves tighter than any group of soldiers.

Tigris prowled in on Cinna's arm; and purred happily at the sight of Johanna and Peeta.

"The early shots look great." Cinna briefed them. "Districts One And Two Paired together well. They've got a long history of friendship in the Arena. We've been mixing up the pairs as best we can. Finnick looks good posing with Wiress. Beetee with Mags, and you two… Well, you're unique. Twelve doesn't have a female Victor; so the two of you together is worth some mileage."

"Sounds like a great idea. Contrast and compare." Peeta agreed, intrigued by the visual.

Johanna's eyes flicked to him, trying to decide if he was being sincere. _If I can't tell, it means his poker face is finally improving._ "You should see Peeta's paintings sometime, Cinna. He's really good at it."

"I figured. Nobody's that good at camouflage on the first try." Cinna agreed. "Seriously, Peeta… We should have a conversation about that with Effie. Victors all have some special skill. I'm told you have several."

"Man, I'll say." Johanna teased. Her eyes flicked to the reflective surface of the window beside her; and she noticed one or two of the camera crew clocking her little quip, glancing back and forth between Peeta and Her.  _Good. That little rumor will make its way to Ceaser soon enough._

Tigris brought out the new clothing line. It was glamorous, classic… but lacked the over the top spectacle that Capitol clothing usually had. There was nothing to alter the appearance; at least not at first glance. But when Peeta saw Tigris hold the dress up to Johanna, he was aware of the illumination. Something in the dress was casting light; but not enough that anyone would be aware of the source.

The two of them changed clothes, and Peeta checked again, seeing it clearly. The outfit made Johanna seem to glow; as though she was lit from within. No makeup, no gemstones, just her, full of a warm glow that seemed to come from her directly. Like it was a part of her, shining out from within.

It was several moments before Peeta noticed the rest of the room had gone silent, just watching the two Victors gaze at each other. Cinna had a secret smile, the support staff was trading knowing looks; and Tigris actually had a tear in her eye.

"You look good." Johanna admitted softly.

"So do you." Peeta returned in the same tone.

* * *

While the cameras set up for the first stage, Johanna sidled over to Tigris. "I was instructed to give you the thanks of our mutual friends."

Tigris' paws stilled on the fabric for a moment. "Good to be doing something I know how to do. Thank them."

"I will." Johanna agreed, easing her secretive tone. "And you  _do_  know your stuff. Whatever gave you this idea? It's so subtle."

"Peeta did." Tigris admitted. "He made me think of my first joy. First time I saw the light." She purred a little. "I grew up in the Capitol. Things are shiny there. But I saw real glow so suddenly that I didn't realize how beautiful it was for a while. Heaven Light. I could see it coming from my soul back then." She gestured at herself. "A gleaming soul cannot live in Capitol for long."

"No." Johanna agreed. "You and Cinna… You really pulled something off with this one. I didn't know how to look for it before, but I feel like I can see Peeta's soul, radiating out of him." She gestured over at him. "It's so subtle, but it's beautiful. He  _shines_."

Tigris trilled.

"What?"

"I haven't plugged in his powerpack yet." Tigris purred. "His outfit isn't lit."

Johanna would have blushed, if she was the type. Somewhere between her ribs, she felt something twist.

* * *

The photoshoot took several hours. The limited lights, and the effect they were producing, was hard to capture on film. Cinna directed the shoot by taking them through all sorts of settings. There were shots of Peeta and Johanna, arm-in-arm in the impoverished areas, gazing up at the justice building, strolling around Victor's Village, even talking to some people passing by, the cameras a discreet distance away.

The effect of the outfit was apparent. Peeta was getting some careful looks from people he'd known his whole life. There was a different kind of glow around him now, and while the people he was talking to couldn't place where it was coming from, they were under its sway.

The Victors were a shining presence, something brighter than normal people and normal life.

* * *

Cinna was doing something to adjust Johanna's dress; and Peeta took the chance to sidle over to Tigris. "If you turned up the power on the lights, it wouldn't work anymore." Peeta admitted. "It'd be obviously fake. Having it so gentle, even on a cloudy day; it's like it comes just from us."

Tigris gave a little purr. "Angel's Light."

Peeta smiled. "Yeah." He looked at Tigris carefully. "You have a little bit of it too, now. More than I saw last time we spoke."

Tigris looked down. "It's good, to work again. Feels good. Good inside."

Peeta nodded. "It helps, to feel useful."

Tigris pointed. "Cinna has it too. More than me." She purr-spoke. "No surgery, no ink; just… that." She extended her hands out, showing off what used to be human hands. "Can't go back."

"None of us can." Peeta agreed. "You, me, Johanna? We'll never be those kids again. But if you can't go back, you go forward."

As Cinna finished the small adjustment on Johanna's dress, Effie spun around. "Alright folks, one more set and we'll break for lunch!" She thundered. "Let's go!  **We have a schedule**!"

* * *

The shoot ended, and Johanna sidled up to Peeta. "Listen." She said to him quietly. "In about ten minutes, I'm going to have a full-on Diva Meltdown. I'm going to abuse the whole company; and refuse to get on the train until they leave. I'm also going to fire my Escort for some trivial reason."

"You are?" Peeta was nonplussed.

"I am. And it shall be epic." She told him politely. "Let me go on for a while before you come out to watch, and then you will interrupt me. I will suddenly be calmed down by your mere presence, and you will suggest I stay until a private train can be sent in the morning. My Escort will agree to that; and you will invite me to stay in your guestroom. 'All above board, of course'."

"And you know how I hate rattling around that big house, all by my lonesome." Peeta played along, getting it.

"The Capitol will demand Effie take over as Escort until my ass is back on the train; and I'll be home in Seven by lunchtime tomorrow. But in those sixteen hours, we'll have replaced my Escort with someone we can trust, we'll have planted a story that'll set up the next operation; and we'll have taken a whole lot of heat off Finnick by making me the problem."

"How bad will that get for you?"

"Depends how the story plays out." Johanna admitted. "It's a calculated risk."

"Aren't they all?"

* * *

The screaming went on for exactly forty four seconds before Peeta made his entrance. Johanna's Escort and support team was on the train quickly; and Johanna was back in Victor's Village by nightfall. Effie moved herself into one of Peeta's guestrooms right away, insisting that it was the best way to prevent gossip from spreading.

"It was one thing last night with her Escort Staff there, but I'm sure you don't want to do anything to tarnish Johanna's reputation." Effie told Peeta fiercely. "You're a gentleman, after all."

"Well, of course, Effie." Peeta said, playing the part flawlessly. "Gee, you don't think there's a chance this could reflect badly on her, do you? Because I could stay with my brother for a night, if it'll be a problem…"

"Nonsense; we're not driving you out of your own house. You're a Victor!" Effie said proudly. "Where is Johanna, anyway?"

"I think she's across the street, drinking with Haymitch."

Effie let out a horrified wail. "Look, I'm going to stay over. Just to kill any rumors. Nobody can accuse either of you of impropriety if I'm here too."

* * *

Effie snored so loud that Peeta could have marched a brass band past her room and not woken her.

Peeta didn't sleep. He paced. The house was large enough that he could pace for a good while. When he passed Johanna's room, he heard her crying out in her sleep, and went into her room immediately. She slept with a throwing axe under her pillow; and he carefully moved it aside before shaking her awake.

Johanna came up swinging. If she'd had an axe, she'd have taken his hand off. "Whoa! Easy! It's me!"

Johanna switched on a light, blinking. "Oh."

Peeta sat on the edge of her bed, and turned the light off, sending them both into blissful darkness. "Go back to sleep. I'll sit here a while."

"You don't have to."

"I know."

She was embarrassed to be seen as weak, even asleep. "I can handle it. Lord knows I have before."

"You did it for me the other night."

"Well yeah, but… That's different. That was me."

"I figured." Peeta said easily. "When I was about six years old, I had a nightmare and ran to my mother's room. I told her I had a scary dream, and she told me to get used to it. She said she had them all the time, and they were all about me." He sniffed a bit and tucked the covers around her a bit more. "I was twelve before I realized what that meant, seeing my name go in the bowl for the first time."

Johanna was suddenly wide awake, floored by that. He could pour his heart out to a virtual stranger like it was nothing.

 _A stranger who's supposedly your secret lover. At least, that's what you're trying to convince the whole country of._ She thought. _Is he always like this, or did he catch feelings?_

"Anyway, whatever you think, I'm fine staying here. I don't sleep either." Peeta assured her. "But since I was six years old, I hate that people have to deal with nightmares alone."

 _People. Would he do this for anyone?_  "...okay." She said finally. "You can stay if you want. But you don't have to."

"I know." He wasn't even trying to get closer; and she felt exposed. Peeta didn't even lay beside her in bed. He sat upright at the opposite side of the mattress, leaning against the wall. It reminded her of someone sitting by a hospital bed. She didn't know it was almost exactly the pose he had when dozing against the hearth, beside Katniss.

She shut her eyes, and then opened them again. "I  _can_  handle it."

"I know."

She shut her eyes for a few minutes, and then opened them again. She was more unsettled than she'd been in years, and didn't know why. "W-we can have sex first if you wanna-"

"Shhh. Just rest, Johanna. Just sleep."

* * *

He was gone again when she woke up. The night had left her unsettled for some reason, and she got herself back to normal by making a standard search of the upper floors. Effie was long gone, with a note to her charge, assuring him that nothing had gone on under her watchful gaze. She'd slept through the whole thing and not noticed.

With her search finished before breakfast, Johanna came downstairs to Peeta's kitchen, with a glass jar under her arm. She nearly tripped on Katniss, at her usual spot by the fireplace. "Oh. Hello."

Katniss uncoiled a little. "Hello." Katniss watched without moving as Johanna put the jar in one of the empty kitchen cabinets below the sink. "Peeta's not here." She said thickly. "He leaves early. Gives food to… well, whoever's turn it is. He has a roster."

"I saw it in the pantry." Johanna nodded. "I mentioned the other night that most Victors have a personal chef, but then I tasted Peeta's cooking. A chef would be wasted."

Katniss said nothing.

"I can count your ribs. I don't imagine he's been refusing you meals if you sleep on his kitchen floor, so what's the deal?" Johanna asked. "You don't like his cooking?"

"According to the Gamemakers, it's to die for." Katniss said with grim sarcasm. "But don't make that joke to him." She was exhausted by the effort to talk to this stranger. "He'll be back soon."

"S'okay. I figured we should have ourselves a personal chat." Johanna said briskly to Katniss. She noticed the girl's bow beside the door and went over to it. "Peeta tells me you can shoot."

Katniss just stared at her. "Yeah?"

"Show me."

"Um, no."

Johanna gave her a stare. It stripped Katniss down to her bones in an instant. "Listen to me right now." She said seriously. "I know losing Prim broke you. My Games broke me for a while, so I sympathise. I had to put myself back together very fast. You have time to wallow. That time is now over. Either you're ready to get off the mat, or you're part of the problem."

Katniss scowled. Who was this woman, and how dare she? "I'm sorry, take one step closer and say that again, please?"

Johanna almost smirked. "Katniss, you know what you are? You are the reason why the Games exist."

Katniss was silent for half a heartbeat, before she finally seemed to process that. "I'm what?"

"You're Snow's success story." Johanna didn't blink as she hefted the bow. "Now. Peeta says you can shoot. Really, really well. And that's why I'm talking to you. Because if you're half as good as Peeta seems to think, then that makes you dangerous. But The Games broke you. Exactly as they were meant to do. A dangerous girl who can fight back and win, is now permanently on the floor, starving herself to death in a kitchen full of food. Congratulations, you've proven The Games are a brilliant move on the part of The Capitol. And it's not going to stop, as long as people like you stay curled in a ball, just waiting to die."

And slowly, very slowly, Katniss' eyes came into focus, in a way they hadn't done since Prim died. The old Katniss was, just barely, becoming aware of her surroundings. "Johanna Mason…" Katniss said quietly, like the words were trying to find their way out of the darkness. "Why have you really come to Twelve?"

Johanna's eyes dissected her over the cup of coffee she'd poured herself. "Eat." She told Katniss firmly. "When we've had breakfast, I wanna see what you can do with your bow. Impress me, and maybe I'll answer that question."

Intrigued, despite herself, Katniss went to the fruit basket and started munching. Peeta had enough fresh fruit to feed a family through winter.

Peeta took that moment to come into the house via the kitchen door, with an empty bread basket under his arm. He saw Katniss  _standing_  at the counter, and  _eating_ , and the sight nearly made him fall over. He looked to Johanna, who was stoking the kitchen fire, as though this miracle happened every day.

Johanna turned back to see him looking back and forth between her and Katniss, who hadn't noticed the scrutiny.

 _Thank you._  He mouthed to Johanna, almost tearing up; and Johanna felt that twist in her chest again.

The three of them sat and ate breakfast. Johanna commented on Peeta's cooking. Katniss said nothing, and then went back outside, pausing to collect her bow and quiver of arrows. Johanna went along with her.

* * *

"So. Let's see what you've got."

Before she'd made it to the end of the sentence, Katniss was in motion. The bow in her hand flashed, one arrow after another. Peeta had set up a target for her; though she'd never used it until now. When she'd nailed the target dead centre three times; she did it again with her eyes closed; then after spinning around a few times.

Johanna briefly went back to the kitchen for the fruit basket, and started tossing targets for her. When Katniss hit them precisely, she started throwing harder; trickier angles…

The Mockingjay never missed.

Katniss could see the slight look of challenge in Johanna's eye. The Victor pulled the last two apples in the basket. Katniss held two arrows in her hand, one sighted along her hand, the other between her other fingers; ready to slap it into place.

Johanna threw the fruit at Katniss directly, as fast as she could, and Katniss flashed with the bow like a quickdraw. At close range, she couldn't draw back; but it didn't affect the accuracy, spearing one apple, then the other. Short range, long range, plenty of time, pure reflex; sniper shots; close-in defence. Katniss could do it all with her bow.

Johanna said nothing the entire time; but by the time the Quiver was empty; her face had changed. She'd seen something in Katniss. Something deadly. Something mighty.

Katniss spun and fired her last arrow at the target again, and split one of her earlier bullseyes down the middle of the arrowshaft. It had been dumb luck, but it looked perfect.

Katniss grinned savagely at the target, when a axe suddenly whizzed past her head, flipping end over end, until it slammed into the target, deep enough to split the whole bullseye from the supports. The target fell; cleaved by the throwing axe.

Surprised, Katniss spun to find Johanna had a second one, flipping it around her wrist expertly. "Where were you hiding those?" Katniss couldn't help but ask.

* * *

"Hey, handsome." Johanna said to Peeta as she came in from the backyard. She had an apple, skewered on Katniss' arrow. "She's good. You weren't kidding."

"I know." Peeta said. "Thank you, for…" He gestured at the discarded apple cores. "So, um… You want anything else?"

"There are so many ways I can spin that into something dirty; but before we get to that…" She checked the door. Katniss had walked off into the trees, not coming back inside. "It's not my business, but have you ever had her over for dinner, or...  _anything_?" She gestured at the fireplace. "Other than what she was doing when I came downstairs, anyway?"

Peeta flushed. "No, I've never… I mean, I don't know what to talk about with… well anyone, anymore. I try to help out where I can-"

"People. But no confidants. Nobody who would say anything you wouldn't want Snow to hear one day?"

Peeta blinked. "What are you asking me?"

Johanna reopened the cabinet beneath the sink and retrieved the large glass jar she had brought into the kitchen, placing it on the table in front of him. It was sealed, airtight, with half a dozen small electronic devices inside. Peeta recognized their purpose instantly.

Johanna nodded. "You're far too trusting. But I think I got them all. They'll put in a dozen more the next time you're out of the house, but don't worry: I'll show you how to find them."

"Yesterday, we were talking about-"

"They never bug the kitchens." She assured him. "Those are servant areas. You don't have any here, but why listen in on a room full of Avox? They can't talk."

"Right." Peeta flashed through every conversation he'd ever had in the house. Katniss in the kitchen. His dance lessons with Effie. His polite chat with Gale and Hazelle. His argument with Katniss in the bedroom when he'd stopped her from shooting at Sno-

"Oh dear god!" Peeta breathed. "The bedroom?"

She shook her head. "Nothing there. That was my first stop. I checked twice."

"Why would they leave that room alone?"

"Because you were up for sale. That grace period is over now, so they'll probably start, but they have people they want to control in District Twelve, too. If any of them took a shine to you, or if you had a girlfriend of your own; they wouldn't want it recorded. Not until  _after_  your Victory Tour. Tigris payed a lot for first dibs. Those recordings make their way to a number of people; most of whom take regular bribes from other people."

Peeta winced. "And if there was ever proof that Tigris got swindled…" He paused. "Why did you check my bedroom first?"

Johanna gave him a wicked grin. "Just in case."

Peeta rolled his eyes, seeing it for what it was now.

The battle-smirk faded. "Listen, I need to ask you something I've got no right to ask: How much do you love Everdeen?"

"If it had come down to me and Prim as the final two, I wouldn't be here." Peeta said honestly.

Johanna nodded, processing his. "If you had to kill to protect her, would you?"

"Yes."

"And if you had to let someone kill you, so that she'd be okay? Not in an Arena, but… Anywhere else? Would you do that?"

Peeta stared at her. "Yes."

Johanna sighed. "If you really want to keep Katniss safe; you need to do something harder still." She said seriously. "You have to let her go."

Peeta was silent for a long moment. "In District Eleven, I did something stupid."

"The food." Johanna nodded. "I saw."

"Inside half an hour, my brother was in a hospital bed." Peeta said quietly. "I know the stakes, Johanna."

"You're a smart guy." She nodded, halfway between pleased he got it, and sympathetic. "But there is another layer to that: See, the Districts believed you about loving Katniss. If you and she would agree to be seen together, if she was your guest on a Capitol trip or two… I mean, it's a love story that even the Capitol could get behind, because you started it in the Arena. It would cut down on the number of times you get… rented out."

"No." Peeta said instantly. "I won't use Katniss as a human shield. I won't do that."

"You won't do that to  _her_." Johanna shook her head in open despair. "But what it does to  _you_ …"

"Jo, most of the time I don't have Katniss around when she's sitting right there where you're standing." Peeta sighed. "Even if the Capitol got hit by a meteor tonight, it couldn't take back what's already been."

"I guess not." Johanna conceded. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry about that." She was surprised to discover that she meant it. "I've seen the bastards use someone's heart against them. It's not the worst thing they do, but only because they do a lot of  _really_  bad things. I mean,  _crazy_  bad. At least in the Arena you have a weapon."

Peeta leaned forward. "The cover story we're spinning about you and me. Where does Katniss fit into that?"

"Mm." Johanna nodded, waving the arrow. "That's why I'm staying here. I have to see where your Mockingjay is at. She's either an ally, or a civilian. And Civilians belong to Snow."

"We Are Meat." Peeta recited Rule Number One.

Johanna nodded. "The Capitol lives for distraction." She told him sagely. "The way they can keep dancing while putting children in the Arena, the way they can live with mass starvation, constant surveillance, and better odds of being executed than reaching old age? Distraction. The Capitol concerns itself with the most insane of circus acts, the most trivial of news; and the raising of gossip to an artform. All this, to keep them from looking too closely at their own lives; let alone other people's."

"Okay." Peeta nodded, learning.

"Your doomed love story got a lot of traction in the Games; but the Games are over. So if we can't make Katniss a player, her best bet for survival is to make her part of the story." Johanna told him. "The determination has been made that we can work that to our advantage, and garner sympathy  _for_  you, and  _against_  the Games."

"And this 'Determination' was made by who?"

"One thing at a time, Loverboy." She told him. "I've seen what you can do during an interview. Think you can do it again? Because you won't have many chances for a do-over."

"What's the goal?"

"The gossips are yapping about the 'real reason' why I stayed in Twelve an extra day. It's a story that will protect the two of us whenever we're seen together, and give Katniss an escape route from the Capitol's reach." Johanna told him. "Think you can summon enough juice to get it over the line?"

"Put that way, I believe I can." Peeta promised.

She was ready to leave it there, but something made her speak again. "One thing I promise you, Peeta. Whatever we do in public, I'll be honest with you in private." Johanna said straight. "If you can do the same; we'll be fine Allies. And I won't make any kind of move to bring Katniss back into the firing line."

He gave her a surprised look.

Johanna shrugged. "Nothing's off-limits to them. Some things should be; if only for us."

"Thank you." He said quietly. "And you? What's off-limits for you?"

Johanna shook her head. "I don't have anyone left."

* * *

" _It's been six weeks since the end of the Victory Tour, and the Capitol is clamoring for More!More!More! Here with us via remote, live from District Twelve, our latest and greatest Victor: Peeta Mellark! It's so good to have you back, Peeta!"_

" _It's been far too long, Ceaser. But I still get to see you every day."_

" _The wonder of television. Peeta, we're all dying to know: What happened_ _next_ _? With you, with your family… With Katniss Everdeen."_

" _(Sigh) Ahh, Ceaser… I was afraid you were going to ask me that."_

" _Rumor is she's part of your household staff, now."_

" _I've heard those rumors too, but I can assure you, it's not true. For one thing, I don't have a staff. There are people in the District who cook and clean to help each other out; but it's not the same thing. And… Well, some Games you are the Victor, some games you never had a chance. Before the Reaping, I might have had a shot; but coming home instead of Prim has closed that door."_

" _I think I speak for all of us here in the Capitol when I say that will change."_

" _That's where the rumors about her came from. Victor's Village is a small community in Twelve. Just me and Haymitch."_

" _Ew."_

" _Well said. I'm afraid The Games took that one from me."_

* * *

Watching the interview, Haymitch found he enjoyed the flash of panic that crossed Ceaser's face for half a second at that line. If Peeta was about to blame the Capitol for a broken heart, it would be uncomfortable.

Peeta held the silence for the perfect beat before he threw Ceaser a life preserver.

* * *

" _...But life is a far more interesting thing than just the people you already know, Ceaser. Being a Victor, I've seen more of the world than I ever would as a baker. Some of the people I've met… Some of them have changed my life."_

" _Really? There are a few pictures circulating of you with… others, in the Victor's Circle."_

" _Victors have the best stories to tell, Ceaser. One thing you know about me, I love stories. Especially ones with happy endings."_

" _Johanna Mason certainly seemed to be smiling when she left District Twelve this morning."_

" _I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> Alright, here's the reasoning: We found out from Finnick what became of Victors. In Catching Fire we know that there's a parade of junkies, drunks; and madness in the Victor's Circle. Peeta and Katniss were spared from that by their 'romance'. I asked myself, without the 'Girl On Fire', how would Peeta be 'Inducted' into the Victor's Life. Having someone explain it to them seemed the logical choice, and I sure as hell wasn't going to let it be Haymitch.
> 
> I chose Johanna, because of the B-Plot of Catching Fire. In CF, all the other Victors were part of the Resistance, and they built their plans around Katniss without telling her.
> 
> Peeta's next move came down to two choices: Either Peeta tries to make it work with Katniss anyway, even knowing she'd be in the danger of his world; or Peeta would be recruited into the Resistance Cell with all the other solo Victors.
> 
> In the original book, Team Everlark was way too hot for Finnick and Johanna to approach, with Snow at their throats every second. Katniss was swept to the top of the Resistance as the Girl on Fire. Peeta was not so 'iconic'; so if I'm going to take on the rest of the trilogy, I needed Peeta to be recruited into the Resistance.
> 
> Johanna was the way to do that, because I've made a lot of noise in this fic about how the only way Districts interact is through the Games. I needed a reason to keep Peeta in contact with the extended cast; while keeping Peeta in character.
> 
> It seemed in character for Peeta to make the noble sacrifice to keep Katniss out of Captiol reach. He would have done it in the Arena, he can do it in Twelve.
> 
> The one thing that almost all the feedback for this fic agreed on was that with Prim gone, Katniss and Peeta had almost no chance of working out; and I agreed. Without that connection, Peeta needed a new way into the War. Johanna provided a way to do both.
> 
> Remember, that in the canon story, Peeta's love for Katniss was real, but hers was a lie; at least at this point. I wondered how Peeta would be able to handle it if he went in knowing his 'girlfriend' was a cover story. What resulted was a far more balanced partnership between two smart people playing for their lives.
> 
> Also, I couldn't leave out the 'elevator' scene completely, so I made it a bathtub instead.
> 
> Also, for all the Everlark Shippers that really don't like a Peeta/Katniss moment with Gale? I'm not trying to craft an Everlark story with a detour. I'm writing an AU; which results in very different lives for all concerned. It's still listed as a Katniss/Peeta fic because his feelings for her remain a major part of his motivations for the majority of the story.
> 
> I assure you, the Mockingjay's part in this story is far from done; but an Everlark ending is by no means a guarantee.


	8. Fairy Tale Magic

Weeks passed. Gale was still working double shifts at the Mines. But once a week, a large basket of food showed up on the Hawthorne doorstep. The source was not a mystery, and Hazelle dove on it before Gale could politely refuse delivery.

So one day a week, Gale made it to the woods, and resumed hunting with Katniss. She still spent most of her time in the woods, making deliveries now and then to town. When she came back, she only visited her mother briefly. Long enough to supply a few rabbits, and assure the last of her kin that she was alive.

The Hob hadn't reopened, but the regulars found each other again. Peeta had made up the difference by giving away food. Haymitch had been trading food for moonshine for over a decade, and Peeta made a point of improving his exchange rate; which put more food in the hands of people with home-breweries, and kids in the Reaping Bowl.

It wasn't enough. It was never enough. Peeta could starve to death and not keep everyone alive. Even without Tesserae, The Captiol added names with each birthday.

Katniss caught up on all the news in her time with Greasy Sae, and then all the really important stuff on her weekly hunting trips with Gale.

The really important stuff was scaring her.

* * *

Peeta came into his kitchen and found a few plucked pheasant on the counter, and the huntress curled up on the floor in front of his fireplace. "Y'know, I'm the only person in the District who knows where their next meal is coming from, regardless of your hunting trips. You don't want to sneak any of this to your mom?"

"I hunt, and I don't give you anything." Katniss said, monotone. "You toss me food, and I don't pay you back."

"When are you going to get over the burnt bread?" Peeta grated. "And if anything, Prim should balance that scale, and then some."

"I don't want to talk about her right now." Katniss sat up and turned to Peeta. "Gale is busy. In the Mines, he's taking shifts with everyone who was working in the Hob. On the way back to his place, he takes a different route  _every time_ … and stops to talk to workers on the assembly lines. When we hunt, he's making deliveries to someone different  _every time_."

"He's meeting with people." Peeta summed up.

"People who are looking to hold a… demonstration." Katniss spoke like a sigh. "When you were in the Arena, he got the whip for trying to start an uprising. Nobody supported him, and he achieved nothing. I think he's decided to play a longer game now."

Peeta winced. "He's going to get himself killed."

"Possibly other people too." Katniss agreed, and she turned to him beseechingly. "Peeta, is there… I only spoke with Johanna once, but she sort of hinted that maybe… Maybe there was an option other than pointless screaming into the wind. Something better than pulling a sit-down in the Mine."

Peeta bit her lip. "I can ask."

"How?"

"VIP's are allowed to send and receive mail. It's part of the Victor's package. Lets me order expensive novelties."

Katniss blinked. "Surely they read your mail?"

"I'm counting on it." Peeta said to himself as he picked up the pheasant and went to his cooking pots.

* * *

_"Good morning, Panem! The story of the day, is the leaked letters between Peeta Mellark, and Johanna Mason. Is there more there than pen to paper? We asked Mason herself, just this morning."_

_"You had the same rumors about me and Finnick Odair. Just good friends, Ceaser, I assure you. Peetey- Excuse me, Victor Mellark is new to the Winner's Circle. It's good to have friends who can help you. Now, you have to tell me, where did you get those letters? They're personal. Like I said, it's important to be… friendly, yes?"_

_"Less than an hour after that clip went to air, Finnick Odair, the Capitol's favorite sweetheart, made this comment."_

_"Peeta is a romantic. I don't believe that he'd treat his lady fair Miss Everdeen that way. Especially not this soon. But just between you and me, Ceaser; pretty much everyone in the Victors Circle thinks the relationship with Katniss won't happen. Peeta's a Victor now. And without wanting to offend anyone, the truth is... It's hard for anyone else to truly understand what that's like. It's like the whole world speaks a different language once you're out of the Arena."_

_"But I wasn't satisfied with that, Panem, so I went to the people themselves, to hear what the Capitol is really saying about the Lethal Lovebirds."_

* * *

At her Victors Village House in Seven, Johanna answered the phone. She knew who it was before she picked up. "I just saw the interview. You do look good on camera, handsome." Johanna commented to Finnick. "How long on the call?"

"According to Beetee, we've got another three minutes before they can hear us." Finnick responded. "The letters are perfect. I had no idea you could pull this outta thin air, Johanna. Annie's been sighing lovingly at the coverage for an hour."

Johanna chuckled. "I'll let you in on a secret while the Jammer's still working: I didn't write any of it. Peeta's writing both sides."

"Really?"

"I copy my half in my own handwriting, and burn the ones he wrote."

"Well. If he can spin tales like this, he'll tear up the Capitol. Seems we were wrong. He's going to be fine."

"No. I was more right than I knew." Johanna confided. "He's not writing to me, he's writing to Katniss Everdeen. He called me 'Mockingjay' twice in the letters, and didn't notice. It's why I started wearing the necklace everywhere. I told my staff that Peeta gave it to me when I was in Twelve. Story took less than an hour to leak to the TV."

"You were right, then. You have a plant in your household."

"Right. I don't know which one, yet. And it might be a plant from Snow… or from Ceaser Flickerman." Johanna shivered. "The wrong person finds the original drafts of these letters, and I'm dead."

"Ah. Hence the call. You want an exit."

"Once Peeta pointed it out, it was obvious." Johanna sighed. "We're leaving breadcrumbs, Finnick. We either change it up fast, or break up our Cell Group and take our chances. I don't wanna take my chances."

"Me neither. Two minutes left on the call. You should know: The Sit-Downs are spreading. We've been having them in Four. The Fishing Fleets suddenly can't find any fish. By law, if that happens two days out of the week, the Captains are relieved of duty and 're-educated'. But you check the numbers? Every ship in the fleet, almost in sequence, has had no catch for one day a week… And they're taking turns."

"It's that organised?"

"The Capitol has such backbreaking quotas, that taking one day off isn't hard to sell. I think Peeta stumbled onto something gold, here. Because if people are willing to have 'do nothing' be their first step, then 'do something' is closer than we think…"

"Wow." Johanna bit her lip. "I'll see if it's happening in Seven."

* * *

"Tell Peeta that my mom enjoyed the pheasant." Gale sighed as he sat beside Katniss at their usual spot.

"I will." Katniss commented, saying nothing about who hunted them. _I knew he wouldn't eat them himself..._

"What do you think about the letters?" Gale asked.

Katniss rolled her eyes. "I was back there the other day?" She confided to him. "They're real. Peeta writes those letters to Johanna. But here's the thing? I'm almost positive he's also writing her letters back to him!"

Gale frowned. "Why is he faking a relationship with some girl from District Seven? Even as a Victor, he gets to see her maybe twice a year."

"Doesn't make sense." Katniss agreed. "Anyway, are we hunting or talking about Peeta?"

* * *

_"I don't buy it! Peeta and Johanna Mason? No way. He fought like hell to get back to his girl in Twelve. Katniss has to understand that!"_

" _I'm from Seven. Mason's hotter than anything even a Coal District can offer. Katniss vs Mason? No contest."_

" _We all saw the shot of Katniss taking back that Mockingjay pin. If there was anything possible, she wouldn't have walked away."_

" _She just lost her sister. Let her mourn before you decide there's nothing there."_

* * *

"Is it enough?" Peeta asked Haymitch.

"Snow was mad at you because you got the Capitol to view their Tributes as people for a whole half hour." Haymitch groused around the glass in his hand. "Putting Katniss on the Gossip Shows makes her less of a 'real person' in their eyes, and more of a topic to talk about. Snow will be pleased. They can play this little triangle out for weeks."

"Y'know, for it to be a triangle, I'd have to have a shot with either of them." Peeta rolled his eyes so hard they hurt. "This is like a caricature of what I actually wanted with Katniss. And I'm not entirely sure she won't kill me for it."

"Well, look on the bright side. Maybe Katniss and Johanna will run away with  _each other_  and give them something to  _really_  gossip about." Haymitch cackled.

Peeta took the glass from his hand. "That's enough for you today."

* * *

Watching the coverage in the Hawthorne house, Katniss turned to Gale. "This is unreal." She said plainly. "I mean, this cannot be happening. Madge tells me that 'Mockingjays' are the latest Capitol fashion trend. The Capitol is obsessed. They know my name. 41% of those asked want to know when I'm making babies with Peeta. The rest think I should step aside and let Johanna have him."

Gale laughed, winced, laughed again. The scars had healed, but still pulled a bit.

"It's Not FUNNY!" She roared at him. "They had a digital merge of me and Peeta done, to see what our kids would look like. They named our firstborn: Everlark."

Gale was laughing so hard he nearly fell down.

"Stop laughing!" Katniss yelled. "This can't be happening! I must have eaten some bad mushrooms in the Woods; because clearly I'm having hallucinations!"

Gale was laughing harder, tears rolling down his face.

"Will you  _please_  get angry about this!?" Katniss raged at him.

"Katniss, there's a lot of life-and-limb crazy in our lives. This is just absurd. If you can't find this funny; then you're not paying attention." Gale told her jovially.  _And if the Capitol happens to be in favor of 'Everlark', then Katniss will be dead-set against the idea._

* * *

" _Our final polls are in, and those polled say that Masonlark is the Capitol's Choice over Everlark by about fifteen percent. Claudius?"_

" _Those numbers are pretty weak, Ceaser. Everyone in the Capitol knows Johanna Mason. At least, more than we know about Katniss Everdeen. They'll go with the girl they know."_

" _Ceaser, not to be contrary on your show…"_

" _Tell me the worst, Finnick!"_

" _You didn't just ask who seems the better match; you asked who they wanted a happy ending for. Everyone loves a true love story, and in that sense, Katniss is the only real option."_

" _That wouldn't be jealousy, would it Finnick? That shot of you two at Johanna's Victory Celebration is still one of the hottest pics in recent memory."_

" _Well, thank you. But what I mean is: Peeta and Johanna can't be together more than three or four weeks out of the year, because they're from different Districts. Isn't everything else just talk?"_

" _You're saying that difference of fifteen percent is actually a much larger margin, and some people are just voting practically?"_

" _Well, there's no other option, is there?"_

* * *

"People are starving to death." Peeta condemned the television. "And the only news channel in the country-"

"-is working madly to make sure nobody  _realizes_  that people are starving to death." Haymitch cut him off. "A celebrity romance is a good distraction. A love triangle? Even better."

* * *

State Events that involved Victors directly were usually few in number. They were always trotted out for The Games; and the Victor celebrations, but other than that, only when the Capitol had to put on a spectacle. Because the Districts never communicated, there was usually no reason for them to go to each other's official events.

Tigris and Cinna were very popular with their new line. The photos of the Victors were truly unique; and not just because they were of Victors from multiple Districts. The photos were such art shots that most of the Capitol had forgotten it was meant as a promotion for a new clothing line. But the wealthy wanted the clothing; and there was never a bad reason to throw a party. Not in the Capitol.

* * *

"For once, the 'want everything' spirit of the Capitol is working for us." Haymitch explained to Peeta as they packed. "The Capitol's finest families are not used to hearing the word 'no' where a party is concerned. They want the guests of honor, and such they will have."

"Mm. And I'm starting to see that this was the goal." Peeta nodded. "But why?"

"You're not there, yet."

"Getting real sick of that answer."

"Wouldn't it be nice if we could push a button and have everything we want delivered to us immediately?" Haymitch said with biting sarcasm. "The train leaves in five hours. Don't make me come looking for you."

"Just have to make some deliveries first." Peeta nodded. "While I'm doing that, can I ask you for a favor? I got a message from Madge. Ceaser Flickerman wants an interview; while I'm out of Twelve."

"You'll be at his door in the morning."

"Not with me. With Katniss."

* * *

Prodding the fire in Peeta's kitchen, Katniss looked up to see Haymitch in the doorway, studying her carefully. "What?"

"Peeta asked me to prep you for the interview."

Katniss blinked. "He asked you?"

"Hey, I'm not wild about it either, Sweetheart. But Peeta seems to think that if the interview goes badly, you're gonna have an unfortunate accident soon. I've prepared Tributes for Interviews for more than twenty years."

"How'd it work out for them?" Katniss shot back, surly; though she regretted it at once.

Haymitch didn't even flinch. "Granted, but Peeta seems to think it's the best option you've got."

"To do what?" Katniss shook her head with bland understatement. "Don't you watch TV? The votes are in: Masonlark is the winner."

"And Peeta wants to keep it that way. So we've got the length of one interview to get you off the Capitol's mind once and for all." He gestured at her. "You're sleeping on his kitchen floor. Either you want out of The Victor's world, or you don't. Decide now."

* * *

" _At first, I thought he just wanted to keep me close until the Games faded a bit from my memory; but it wasn't that. Peeta would never use people that way."_

" _And? Now that time has passed?"_

" _Sorry. I shouldn't say. It's personal; and Peeta's a friend. Whatever else, he's still my friend."_

" _You said 'at first'. Was Johanna Mason the only thing that changed?"_

" _No. I did. I realized that he took me in out of guilt as much as anything else."_

" _Come on, Mockingjay. You know I'm not buying it. The whole country heard the stories he told about you."_

" _...Okay, Caesar: The Truth. Straight up… I never knew about Peeta's feelings for me until the Reaping. And by the time I saw him again… Prim had happened. I don't blame Peeta for it, but I'll always think of her when I think of him. Always."_

" _That's… unfortunate."_

" _I know love is meant to conquer all; but sometimes it doesn't happen that way."_

" _Does Johanna Mason agree?"_

" _Johanna? No idea. I've only met her once. But Peeta believes in Love above all else. His heart is resilient; and big enough to have room for more than me, and Rue, and Prim. If he finds a way to still have that; then it's fine with me."_

" _And, I have to say, Katniss: If you're that tough an act to follow, who else could it be but a Victor?"_

" _Well… um… Yes."_

* * *

The interview went to air as the train arrived at District Seven. Wandering the platform was not allowed, so Peeta went to the station's interior. Johanna was there with her luggage. While her entourage loaded her things into the train, Peeta sidled over to her and they watched the display. With the noise of the station, they couldn't hear it, but neither could anyone overhear them. "She's not comfortable on camera, is she?" Peeta observed.

Johanna scoffed. "We've gotta do something about you being too damn nice all the time, Loverboy. She's awful on camera."

"Mm." Peeta grit his teeth. "What's the contingency plan?"

"We don't need one." Johanna waved it off. "I know Ceaser. He'll turn 'awkward' into 'secretive' and spin it into something scandalous, and the Capitol will eat it up with a spoon." She rubbed his shoulder affectionately. "Relax, babe. Even if they don't fall for it; they'll leave Katniss alone. Every high society marriage in the Capitol has at least two mistresses. Orgies are what they do to unwind over the weekend. If anything, having Katniss involved with us will just make them love you more."

"Involved?" Peeta turned bright red.

"In the story, I mean. Though, if you meant the other way..." Johanna gave him a dirty grin.

"Johanna, the point of this was to get her out of the spotlight."

"Exactly. Either she's your 'tragic backstory' or the 'little secret' that I don't know about. Nobody invites the 'other woman' to a party. When everyone's had their say; the spotlight will be off your Mockingjay; and on the two of us. Think you can take it?"

"Put that way, I can." Peeta nodded.

Johanna hesitated. "Listen, is Katniss okay with this?"

"She and I don't exactly have long, heartfelt conversations." Peeta demurred. "Why do you ask? Even if she hated you, she'd never go on camera to rumble the plan."

"I know, it's just… I've been reading those letters. I have to, to make it work, but…" Johanna shook her head. "No, never mind."

Peeta looked at her, giving her his full attention. "No, don't run away. What were you going to ask?"

 _Did any of those letters actually involve me?_  Johanna fought down the question. She didn't want him having thoughts. She was having a few thoughts of her own, and that was bad enough. "Never mind."

* * *

" _With fans of Team Everlark left wondering how much they believe; there's been an exciting twist! We have exclusive images taken from a citizen journalist in Seven. You can clearly see Peeta at the Train Station, having an intimate moment at the Station VIP Lounge with District Seven Victor, Johanna Mason. We're told that he was the first one to meet her and her staff as they boarded the train; and the images have more or less confirmed the rumors of a romance!"_

" _Do we have any word on what happened next, Ceaser?"_

" _Well, rules are rules. They've both from different Districts, of course; so they boarded separate compartments for the rest of their journey."_

" _Doesn't matter. You can tell how eager they were for even a few moments together!"_

* * *

They made sure to find each other again once they got to the Capitol. They were staying in the same tower, essentially a more ornate version of the Tribute Centre they'd stayed in during the Games. Their Escorts were all over them, but Haymitch ran interference for a bit, getting Effie outraged over something trivial.

Peeta had to make conversation with Johanna, and picked something he'd wanted to say for a while. "Jo, in case I haven't said it enough; thank you so much for this."

"Don't thank me yet. The next part might yet get both of us killed." Despite her words, she was leaning into him.

"That's why I'm thanking you. You've gone a long way out on a limb to guide me through this." Peeta said sincerely. "I've spent the last few days reviewing what might have happened to me without your help. You can go ahead and imagine the various methods of my dismemberment; and that of my family."

Johanna gave him a flirty smile. "Well, we couldn't have that, could we?" Playing the vamp was almost reflex for Johanna.  _So why is that twist in my chest back this time?_ She looked over his shoulder. "I can't see cameras setting up. Want to wait?"

"I don't think we can risk it."

* * *

Back in private at their Penthouse suite, Peeta headed straight past Haymitch, to the buffet table.

"So, how long did it take to get that 'candid' shot?" Haymitch called after him without looking.

Peeta didn't turn, collecting dinner. "I was standing there kissing Jo's fingers for almost five minutes before someone with a camera saw us."

"Ah. So she's 'Jo' now?"

"G'night, Haymitch." Peeta took the plate back towards his room.

Haymitch got up and followed. "There's one more overnight until we go home, Storyteller. That photo means people will be looking. You're still telling a story. But this time you have to tell it without saying anything to anyone. Tomorrow night is the Launch Party. By lunchtime the next day we're halfway home. You've got one shot left; so don't miss."

Peeta paused at the door. "When are you going to tell me what it is I'm aiming for, exactly?"

"When we get back to Twelve. Until then, it's all still in play."

"Then why can't I know the rules?"

"Because they aren't my rules."

* * *

The Launch Party wasn't at the Presidential Mansion. Security was too tight to have visitors too often. But there were a dozen overly-extravagant Banquet Halls within three streets. Fireworks, lavish food, endless liquor, full cast orchestra, a dozen immediately available bedrooms and sex dungeons; even a small zoo in among the swimming pools and tennis courts.

Johanna was mingling, dressed to the nines. Her stylist had been thrilled to learn of another opulent Capitol Party; and had pulled out all the stops. The dress was agony to wear, but gorgeous to look at.

The Launch Party was centred round the photo gallery. Every picture had been blown up to a huge poster; and mounted with perfect angle and lighting, so that the guests could see the designs from everywhere in the room.

Plastered against the wall, trying to stay away from everyone, was a familiar face. "Annie." Johanna said warmly. "I'm surprised. They got you to pose?"

"Me and Finnick." Annie whispered out. Getting her to speak up at these parties was impossible, most of the time. The Capitol was the stage for a lot of her nightmares. "You look good." She pointed. "In your shoot, I mean. It's nice."

"Thank you." Johanna said politely. It was always a minefield talking to Annie; never knowing what would set her off. Finnick wasn't nearby; which made it riskier, given the people around them.

"What's Peeta like?" Annie asked Johanna. She hadn't met him yet.

"One of the good guys." Johanna said honestly. "I trust him."

Annie did a double-take. "Oh. Really?"

Johanna looked at her. "There a problem with that?"

Annie shook her head. "You don't usually trust anyone."

"He's done everything we've asked of him, and he's been dancing on a knife-edge with the rest of us for almost a year now. He's giving away almost all his winnings to the hungry, and he won't so much as keep an Avox-what?!"

Annie was wearing a watery smile. "You're defending him so fiercely."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Well, for one thing, nobody's attacking him." Annie offered. She pointed up at the pictures again. "Cinna told me that Tigris got the idea from her night with Peeta. Angel's Light, shining from within. It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Johanna was still trying to catch up with her last comment. "Yeah. Yeah, it is."

* * *

It was the first time Peeta had ever actually seen the photos. He saw the other Victors, paired up. He suddenly saw that the outfit he had worn for the shoot wasn't a standard uniform. Everyone in the gallery had a different outfit. But they all had the same style. Muted white, with that light glow of inner brightness seeming to flow from them.

"Of course, it's only half the story." Haymitch said to him quietly. "Cinna and Tigris chose the Victors that aren't so… damaged. I'm not up there. Neither are the Morphlings…"

"Who?"

"Doesn't matter." Haymitch threw back his drink. "Chaff looks good. I thought they'd skip him too; with the missing hand. But he… He fits with the rest of you."

Peeta started to answer, when a middle-aged woman with unnaturally red hair came over and put her hands on Peeta. "Hel- _lo_ , Victor Mellark." She said smoothly. "My name is Julle, and we almost met last time you were in the Capitol."

"Almost?" Peeta repeated automatically.

"Missed it by that much." Julle smiled hungrily. "Dance with me."

A familiar paw clapped on Julle's wrist. Tigris was suddenly right there. "After." She purr-growled at Julle… and pulled Peeta onto the dancefloor.

Julle's eyes flashed dangerously, but she didn't put up a fight.

Not sure what was happening, Peeta went along with it. Tigris danced him across the floor in as straight a line as she could, taking him from Julle to Johanna. "Something I should know about her?"

Tigris shook her head. "Dance with Johanna."

"That was the plan."

"Not plan. She has it now."'

Peeta blinked. "Has what?"

Tigris smiled like a cat and glanced at the glamor photos of the Victors, glowing with their own glory. "The Light. Jo-hannah has it when she looks at your picture."

Peeta blinked rapidly. "Oh."

Johanna appeared beside them. "Can I cut in?" She said with a grin.

Tigris stepped aside, and Peeta could hear the sounds of cameras flashing.

"Dance slowly." Johanna smiled painfully. "This dress has about seventeen pieces of wire holding it upright past my waist; and it is  _not_  comfortable."

"Duly noted." Peeta laughed, and the cameras went off again.

"Tigris was wise to get you away from Julle." His new partner in crime said quietly as they danced. "Julle was one of the other bidders for your first Date. Tigris beat her out by less than a hundred credits."

Peeta shivered. He'd dodged a bullet with Tigris, and he knew it. Julle wouldn't have been swayed by positive words, no matter how good a story Peeta spun. "Didn't strike me as the type to take no for an answer."

"She wouldn't. That's why she's here tonight." Johanna leaned closer and whispered in his ear. "Don't worry. We pull this off, she won't get near either of us. None of them will."

Peeta's eyes flicked around. "Nobody's looking at us."

"They're looking at nothing else." Johanna promised. "A town this obsessed with gossip and backstabbing; everyone has eyes in the back of their head. Now dance me to the side of the room opposite the punchbowl. It's the closest guest bedroom. For people who don't care about being the subject of gossip."

* * *

"Safe to talk in here?" Peeta whispered once she closed the bedroom door.

"It is. By the way…" She said quietly. "Happy birthday."

He smiled, despite himself. "You noticed."

"I'm a little surprised you didn't mention it. Any excuse to throw an orgy, in the Capitol. Actually becoming legal is more than enough." Johanna paused. "And I just this second realized that was exactly why you kept it a secret."

"Didn't seem to bother anyone yesterday."

"You're a Victor. Those rules don't apply to you, or any of your 'dates'."

"God, this town needs to melt into the sewers." Peeta scorned. "Those little vials outside at the buffet table? Children are starving in the Districts, and here…"

"I know." Johanna nodded, looking older suddenly.

"Even pigs know to stop eating when they've had enough."

"Shh." She said, suddenly gentle, putting a hand to his chest soothingly. "We all go through this, handsome. We're working towards a day when we can do something about it. It's hard to laugh at injustice, but… The time will come. Try not to think about it."

Peeta nodded. "Yeah, I guess."

They both realized she was still touching him at the same moment. Katniss would have jumped back awkwardly. Johanna gave him a predatory smile.

"But, we are indeed alone at last, and nobody will come looking for us…" Johanna pulled at the strap of her elegant gown, and it seemed to slither off her shoulders instantly. "Happy Birthday to you."

But Peeta was already looking aside discreetly, though he blushed less and less these days.

Johanna rolled her eyes, having expected that. "Relax. I just had to get outta that thing. Took four stylists to get me into that dress. It is such a curse to be hot." She looked around for something more comfortable. "You can look at me, Peeta. Battle armor, remember? If you're that discreet in public, we're finished. You officially have my permission to find me irresistible."

"Mm." Peeta still had his head turned politely.

Johanna looked around the room. "No ensuite; so no towels or bathrobes." She went to the bed and pulled the blanket down, tying it around herself. It was far too long, and extended out behind her like a train on a wedding gown. "All clear."

Peeta turned to look at her again. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but it actually looks good on you."

Johanna snorted. "Y'know, most guys wouldn't mind if a not-unattractive woman in a quick-release dress took them to the nearest bedroom."

"I'm not most guys."

"No, you aren't. We've proven that." Johanna admitted. "I wouldn't be able to stomach this if you were 'most guys'. Can I just ask? Is it still Katniss?"

Peeta said nothing.

Johanna shook her head and cackled. "I love the idea that the Capitol might be undone by a story of unrequited love."

"Just in case there wasn't enough pressure." Peeta said dryly. "But, if we have a few hours to kill…" He produced a deck of cards.

"You really know how to sweep a girl off her feet, Peeta."

* * *

The Capitol only knew how to play Casino games. Peeta taught Johanna a few of the games they played in Twelve, and they waited as the sounds of the party faded outside.

"Should we put in another appearance before everyone goes home? The goal is to convince people we're together now."

"Give it another half hour. Don't want to ruin your reputation by wrapping up too early." Johanna teased. "I do have standards."

"Don't you ever stop with that act?"

"Who says it's an act?"

"I watched your Games, Jo. You played helpless so well that they never saw you coming. Now you play the worldly Vamp, but you're only a year or two older than me."

"True. But I've been doing this longer than you." She countered. "Give it time, handsome. If it doesn't break you, being a Victor will make you cool as ice too."

"That's what I'm saying, Jo. You aren't like that at all, no matter how saucy you act. Whether you act helpless or seductress, it's the same thing."

"I'm not acting."

"You're acting so well even you believe it." Peeta put the cards down. "Gin."

Johanna took the cards back. "I can't go out there without strapping myself back into that torture device of a dress. Put your shoes back on, go back out there, don't stop to talk to anyone. Get some wine, bring it back. Leave a few buttons undone, forget your tie, and mess up your hair a bit; let people draw conclusions."

He smiled and obeyed. Johanna gripped the cards tightly as he left the room. His last remark had struck a lot closer to the bone than she'd expected. Other men had tried that line on her, and more than once. It was just a line they'd used to get her into bed.

_So why did it feel different this time?_

The answer was blazingly obvious.  _Because it's not a line with Peeta. He'd be happy to play cards all night._

_What about you?_

Peeta returned, not with wine, but with a large plate of cake; and two forks. "Well, it  _is_  my birthday."

Smiling, despite herself, she put the cards down and ate with him.

"Peeta?" Johanna asked suddenly. "This isn't my business, but…  _Did_  you have sex with Tigris?"

"No." Peeta said quietly.

"But she joined up anyway." Johanna said. "You must be one hell of a cuddler."

Peeta actually laughed. When they settled, he spoke again. "Haymitch won't tell me everything. He doesn't know, does he? That you already recruited me?"

"I don't talk to Haymitch that often." Johanna nodded. "But we're not the only ones involved. That's how it is in a Cell Group. You usually only know your little piece."

"I figured. You should know that I figured the other part out."

"What?"

"Recruitment? The Rebels were the one that convinced Tigris to Sponsor me in the Games. And when the extravagance got the Gamemaker's attention, you needed a cover story, so you had her claim it was 'putting a deposit down' on me. You were testing her willingness, and demonstrating that the Rebels could cover for her… Maybe even reward her actions on their behalf. All important points if she's going to be an Asset."

Johanna winced. "I was hoping you wouldn't work that out." She confessed. "But it worked. Tigris came on board, and you managed to talk your way out of it. For a time."

He gave her a sideways look. "Renting out Victors is what the Capitol does to keep people in line. Keeping operatives uninformed about cells in other Districts is how they keep people from working together. If you wanna recruit people to bring The Capitol down; why does your team follow their playbook?"

Johanna blinked suddenly. "That…" She didn't say it, but she finished the sentence in her head.  _That makes sense, actually._

Peeta nodded. "Makes you wonder what other parts of the Capitol's playbook they might be following, huh?"

The implication was not a pleasant one, and neither of them spoke of it as they dealt the cards again. She changed the subject. "Who taught you to play cards?"

"Liam." Peeta said quietly. "I was the youngest in my family; and… well, the whole country knows about that. I had a friend, in school. Liam's family couldn't afford him. He and I sort of adopted each other. I smuggled him food, he and I hung out after school. We did the things you're meant to do with family. I remember we once spent a whole day arguing what to put on a pizza. Made some really creative combinations; if only imaginary."

"What's a 'pizza'?"

"I'll make you one, the next time you're in Twelve."

Johanna listened to this. Peeta's friends were something of an open question. "Where is he now?"

"He lied about his age to get a job in the mines." Peeta said quietly. "The Capitol raised the quotas to get back on track after the mine collapse that killed Katniss' father. They had to clear out the collapsed sections. Some of them were too small for workers to get in. The Peacekeepers were beating the crap out of people who were trying to slow things down enough to do them safely; so they had to send in small workers."

Johanna winced. "Do I even have to ask?"

"Liam hit a gas pocket." Peeta nodded somberly. "He was from the Seam. My mom didn't want me going to his funeral." He looked at her. "Y'know, it's not so much that they treat us like cattle. That's just greed and ruthlessness."

 _And we all grew up with that._  Johanna's mind put in, and she felt that twist in her chest again.

"It's that they seem to delight in finding new ways to make us less human… Rue told me that  _reading a book_  was a crime in her Ghetto." Peeta waxed as he picked up the cards.

"It's evil." Johanna agreed.

"The evil isn't the point of Rue's story. The point is, that cruelty failed. Rue still got all the stories she needed. There were people in her District willing to risk it, just to tell each other stories of things that never happened; because they cared so much to know what happened to people who didn't really exist." Peeta smiled. "I think it's wonderful. No matter what they do, some people will always find ways to be more human than ever before."

Johanna said nothing.

"What would you do, Jo? To be as real and as human and as much a person beyond their control as you could be?" Peeta wondered, more rhetorical than interested to know. "I like to think everyone has something that can't be made dead in them. Something that will break any barrier. Like flowers growing from weeds, through tiny little cracks in the concrete."

Johanna felt that twist again, much stronger. "Are we playing cards, or what? Last I checked, I was winning."

* * *

Peeta peeked out the door. "Looks like the party's winding down. Should we head back to…"

Johanna shook her head. "No point with everyone gone. And frankly… our regular suites are bugged. I'd rather sleep here. You can go, if you want. Get some sleep."

Peeta couldn't help but shiver. "Sleep has become my least favorite part of life." He confessed. "And these days there's some pretty tough competition for that."

"I know what you mean." She nodded, sympathetic. "Stay here tonight."

"Thank you."

Johanna turned back to the bed. "Obviously, I didn't bring pyjamas." She quipped. "I never wear them anyway."

Peeta looked away politely while she returned the bedsheets to normal and climbed under the covers. "All clear." She teased. "Victors aren't meant to blush."

Peeta said nothing to that. "What happens tomorrow?"

"We have a plan. For now, leave it at that." Johanna yawned.

"Well, I guess that as long as the gossips are all watching the door to this room, Finnick can get Annie home safe. I get the sense that the party was wearing her down."

Johanna shook her head, as though that was exactly what she'd expected him to say. "You're hopeless."

Peeta slid under the covers, facing away from her. "I know."

Silence.

They lay in the dark for a while, not sleeping, not speaking. There was a light rumble of thunder, and the rain began again.

And then Johanna turned the light back on. "I can't sleep."

"Me neither." Peeta admitted. "Cards again?"

"No." Johanna said, and turned on her side to face him, stretching languorously. "Sometimes I wish I was a romantic, too."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Love makes you stupid, but it makes you brave. What you said, about flowers coming through concrete? Finnick would walk through fire for Annie. You'd do it for Katniss… It just occurred to me when you climbed into this bed that there's nobody who would do it for me." She forced a smile. "The thing about being famously lethal, and the total Vamp... nobody tries to take care of you or be gentle with you."

"I do."

"Gentle is your only position, babe. You go out of your way to be nice." Johanna sighed, and she actually sounded sad. "Sometimes I think it's this amazing act you put on. Sometimes, I think it's because you actually mean it, with me. And then I remind myself that you do mean it. And you would mean it just as much for a total stranger."

"Anyone would do it." Peeta protested.

" _Nobody_  does it. That's the point, stupid. The things you say and do... Nobody does them. Nobody does anything like that. In romance novels and children's fairy tales, maybe. In real life..."

"Real life is Snow's world. He makes sure everyone knows they're worthless and alone and helpless." Peeta said quietly. "That's how you fight back. Not with more evil. You try to fight against people who live for blood, you lose. Or worse, you win by being bloodier than them."

"Like I did?" Johanna asked, out of nowhere. "Actually, don't answer that."

"Johanna, I made a choice a long time ago that as long as the world was cold and cruel, then I would be warm and kind."

She was silent for a while, studying him. That twist in her chest was back; stronger than ever. For once, she didn't fight it off.  _How does a kid who's been beaten by his own mom, bullied by his brothers, and ignored by his favorite girl, become so kind? How does a guy who's been stabbed, trashed, pimped out and threatened by Kings still find it in him to cook a last meal for his enemy, while still in the Arena?_  Aloud, she toned it down. "How does a guy like you find something good to see in absolutely everyone?"

"If you know where to look, it isn't that hard." Peeta sighed. "I don't understand people who feel hate so easily. Protecting your heart from pain, I get that. Wanting revenge? I get that. But wanting to  _hate_? Who does that?"

"I do." She whispered. "When everything else broke my heart and beat me down, hatred kept me on my feet."

Peeta had no answer to that. He just reached out and cupped her face with his hand, almost without noticing. She lifted her head from the pillow enough to feel it, and after a moment his hand withdrew.

"When I first came to Twelve, Haymitch came to see me." She offered. "He told me to be nice. I made some saucy remark, and Haymitch got really pissed off. He told me he was serious. Because he knew I wasn't going to be able to leave before breakfast this time. Maybe not ever again, if we pull this off."

Peeta nodded.

"He really admires you, Peeta. Finnick said the same thing before I cut in on your dance. I don't know what they think I'm going to do to you, but I'm not that much of a lioness, am I?"

Peeta chuckled. "You are when you want to be."

"Haymitch and Finnick and Annie... they all say that I could do a lot worse than to go with it and just be your... whatever we pretend to be."

"Katniss said something similar when the gossip started." Peeta nodded. "But I think she saw the alternative as me being taken out and shot."

"Katniss considers me a fate slightly better than death. High praise from 'the other woman'." Johanna smirked.

The feeling was so mellow, like the world was muted with soft lights and gentle music. The rain beat softly on the window, making everything so relaxed.

"Thing is... they're right." Peeta said finally. "The reason her interview worked is because every word she said was true. As much as I want..."

"Shh." Johanna shifted over, leaned against him, resting her fingertips on his lips. "Prim is gone. She can't be saved. I've seen this before, Little Lamb. You'll spend your life trapped in the Arena, reliving that moment, trying to find a way out. Don't see Prim die, every time you try to think good thoughts about this girl you love."

"I know." Peeta held her hand, actually kissed her fingers for a second. Johanna felt her heart give a solid thump in a way it hadn't done in a long time. That twisting feeling had settled right over her heart. There were no cameras in here. He was being affectionate because he wanted to be nice to her. "You think it's easy, keeping that 'gentle' part alive. But it's hard. And since the Games, knowing I had to let her go… It's just… agony."

Long silence. Both of them just lay still in a bed big enough for five, close enough to touch but not reaching, listening to the rain outside.

"I think about us being lovers, sometimes." She admitted softly. "You and me."

She could feel him tense, even from the other side of the bed.

"More and more often as this goes on." She confessed. "When I copied those letters down in my own handwriting… I don't know. Maybe I forgot for a second, but it made me think differently about some things. That's all it was, at first. Just new thoughts, now and then."

Peeta said nothing for a minute. "And now?"

"I'm not a puritan by anyone's measure. I've gone further with guys I've trusted a lot less. At first, I thought it was just... y'know; scratching that itch. But the further it goes, the more I want to make it all go away for a night; for both of us." Her mouth was suddenly dry. "And if we  _did_... I would be so  _good_  to you. Whatever the people outside that door think of us, I meant it when I said I could make it better than what your buyers would offer. It wouldn't be like Julle. Sex is diversion and currency here; and if you  _had_  said yes on the train, I wouldn't treat you like any of them would... I would worship you head to toe and make you forget that bad things exist in the world. And I can say that because I know you'd want to do the same for me."

"Jo..." His voice was hoarse.

"No, let me say this." She stopped him. "A while ago, you said that I didn't see love everywhere, and that was sad for me." Johanna said finally. "But even if there was someone like you back in Seven, I don't think I'd accept. I've been very careful about that... because I know what it's like."

He looked over, surprised.

She nodded. "I had a love, once. Like Finnick and Annie. When I won my Game, he was... very, very expendable. I told Snow 'no' one time, and he was dead before I got back from the Victory Tour."

"I'm sorry."

"The worst part is: I wasn't really in love. He was my first crush. The one that makes you feel like the sun is always shining. I was a kid." Johanna choked out. "If Snow had just let things run their course, we would have broken up on our own so quickly." She withdrew a little. "I have not let myself love anyone since then. Not family. Not friends. It almost felt like  _talking_  to the same person twice would get them killed."

Peeta sniffed. "Katniss made no secret of the fact that she'd rather die than get married and have kids of her own to risk the Reaping. It wasn't adolescent rebellion, it was a life choice." He shook his head. "We've sort of dedicated a big chuck of our lives to chasing a mirage, haven't we?"

"He was precious to me. And Katniss is precious to you. But you know what else they are?"

"Not here?" Peeta said softly.

"Not here. Not Victors. Not watched. In my case, not alive. Not... Not us."

Silence. They were still close on the bed, almost whispering in each other's ears.

"What you said, about how people only act this way in fairy tales? I always figured first love is so powerful because…" Peeta sighed softly. "I mean, I tell stories. I've heard plenty too. Even the fairy tales the Capitol  _do_  allow are so ridiculous. Save a princess, slay a dragon. One dance, first kiss and the fairest in the land is yours for a happily ever after. First love is so powerful because we don't have dragons and magic beans. But we do have love. It's the one part of a fairy tale that we get to really have. A schoolkid knows that fairy tales aren't true; and then; usually a year or three after you stop believing, the best part of them turns out to be real; and it's yours with just one look." He was still going, all of this pouring out of him. And for the first time, Johanna felt like he speaking to her, and not to the imaginary Katniss in his head. "And not only can you find it; but someone convinces you that you deserve it. Someone out there actually comes along to convince you that you are deserving of love. It's like magic. Real, fairy tale magic."

Johanna stared at him. It had happened. Something she'd dreaded and longed for her entire life. She'd long held that some people were undeniably worthy of all the goodness in the world. She'd even decided that Peeta was on that list... but she'd never thought 'the world' would include her. And yet, she had felt it, like flipping a switch. The comments from Finnick, Annie; even Tigris, all falling into place at the same time. Her jaded heart was suddenly beating brightly.  _Ohmigod. He didn't catch feelings, I did!_

Peeta's face shifted, and she suddenly realized how long they'd been nose to nose, without a word between then.  _Say something._ She told herself.  _Something genuine._

"Sometimes I try to console myself thinking that  _all_  love is a mirage, Peeta. Not just mine." She said finally. "Most days I can. But I don't think I could manage that with you."

"...was it too much?" Peeta guessed.

"Ordinarily, yes." Johanna said. "But you're not even trying."

Peeta started to say something, but she was already moving. Without a word, she got out of the bed and went to his clothes; putting on his shirt. It was a very possessive move, but it wasn't meant that way. Peeta understood. The only thing of hers in the room was what she wore to the party, and that wasn't going to do it for this conversation.

She almost laughed as she dressed. "You aren't even trying. Not to get me to love you, or to get me as an ally, or even get me into bed... This is just you." Wearing a shirt big enough for sleepwear, she turned back to him. She made sure he watched as she wiped away every bit of her makeup. "No battle armor. No warpaint. No cover story. This is just me." She found she was holding her breath.  _Why do I feel more exposed by putting clothes **on**?_

Peeta knew what she meant, sitting up on the edge of the bed. "You're very beautiful, Jo."

"Am I? To you, I mean? We did a whole Tour of Panem on the idea that you could see someone shine inside." She stepped closer to him. Close enough to touch. He didn't pull back, his hands coming up to hold her at the waist. A moment later she took his face between her hands and kissed tenderly. Cheeks, forehead, eyes, chin. There were small tears on his face when they parted, just from the gentleness. "If you say no, I'll understand. Please don't say no? Just for tonight."

"Why tonight?" Peeta asked, his breathing hitched.

"Because tomorrow, things will be different. And tonight, this can be Real. The Capitol is all about the Not Real. Real is a precious thing to let go by." She leaned in and kissed him again. "I'm not asking for anything tonight, except an honest answer to this question: I want to do this; and I want you to want it too. If you don't want to, say so. I'm certainly not going to push you into it; given the… other parts of our life." She leaned in for one more kiss, just barely touching his lips. "I offered, once. Things were different then. But it's still your choice."

And finally, after an endless beat, he leaned closer and started kissing her back. She could feel his heart racing.  _Let go._  She thought at him. _Let go of her, let go of the Capitol; let go of the… the fear. Feel something else with me. Choice is the one thing I can offer you that the world cannot._

"Just for tonight. No judgements or obligations. Real or Not Real?" She mumbled against his lips.

"Real." Peeta confirmed, as Johanna pushed him back on the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> The Real/Not Real is obviously a reference to the books, but not because I'm ripping off the Everlark romance. (I know Everlark shippers aren't going to like having the Real/Not Real conversation with someone else; but hear me out.) I got onto the idea that everyone in the Capitol, (Not just the Jacked) are all under the same spell, not having a clue how to be genuine. I wanted to create a real, genuine moment for our AU hero team. And I couldn't think of a way to make everyone certain that it was so, without coming out and saying it. You'll find out why that was so important in the next chapter.
> 
> I'm sure Team Everlark is ready to lynch me now, but remember: It's not an Everlark Romance, it's a full-AU. Peeta has a huge heart, and he can't resist giving it away to people who need it. It is, in fact, his greatest weakness in the Canon.
> 
> Also, the reason anything at all is happening with Johanna? It's because she isn't Katniss, by any comparison. In the books, (moreso than the movies) Johanna is a vamp. She's fine with using her body to distract or manipulate. Given the backstory that comes with her, that manipulation is her weapon. But Peeta is part of her Cell Group now, and she knows she can't play him the way she does everyone else.
> 
> In this chapter, Peeta's goal is to move the Girl on Fire away from the Capitol's reach, and help the war effort. Johanna came into this planning to treat Peeta like Finnick, and found she couldn't do it, since he's a very different person to the kind of Victors she's used to. Her position in this chapter is that Peeta can play the game on her level, but he still cares too much; so she wants to protect him too, since lives depend on it, including their own. She's halfway between his Mentor and his Partner.
> 
> The other part of this chapter was Peeta's acceptance of his role as a Victor. Unrequited love of Katniss was his whole motive in the first book. Keeping her alive was his whole motive for the second book. That's what's happening here. Peeta's accepting that Katniss isn't interested. In his mind, she never will be now that Prim has died in his arms; and he has to accept that soon or die. In Peeta's mind, Katniss is 'off the train' at last.
> 
> As to the final scene: In the canon, Peeta and Katniss did nothing more than cuddle away the nightmares for all of CF. Johanna is way more 'worldly'. She knows the difference between sex and love; and she's very sure of herself with the former. The latter? In the canon, Johanna's only word on 'love' was about the Jabberjays: "They can't hurt me. There's nobody left I love."
> 
> That line was where I started with the idea of Jo/Peeta. Remember, he's not a lovesick dope where she is concerned; he's a clever guy trying to stay alive; and maybe win a war. Johanna is a grown, if still young woman, who had to learn how to survive as a Victor while way too young.
> 
> Katniss blushes, Johanna doesn't; and Peeta's an open book. It made for a very different romance; which was the point of the AU. I added lines to make clear that Johanna's not forcing anything, or demanding that Peeta forget his feelings for Katniss; but she will seek comfort and even offer some solace in ways that Katniss simply couldn't bring herself to do, even if she had felt that way towards Peeta in CF.


	9. The Morning After

Katniss returned to town, and dropped off some of her latest kills. The Hob had never been reopened, and things were getting tight without the trade, so she had to clean and dress the kills herself. It had taken her days to find a way past the Fence that the Capitol wouldn't find and plug. The easiest way was Peeta's back fence, but she wanted another option.

As she came back to the Seam, people were staring at her. She was used to the attention, for the most part. Peeta had made her a nationwide name; and those that knew about her 'relocating' to the woods were always aware when she came back.

But things had changed today, and it took her a while to find out why.

Gale was at the Mines, as usual, working a double shift to keep the kids fed. Peeta had made sure there was enough food for the Hawthornes, purely because Katniss cared about them; but Gale wouldn't accept charity, so they had to make an effort to keep him from finding out.

Hazelle took Katniss' offerings, as graciously as ever. But this time, Hazelle looked so… sad for her. "What? What is it?" Katniss demanded. "Everyone in town's been giving me that look all day."

Hazelle took her hand and led her over to the television. "Be  _strong_ , Mockingjay." She said gently.

Katniss looked, and saw a candid picture of Peeta kissing Johanna Mason's fingers tenderly, taken from a long distance. Ceaser Flickerman was smiling so wide it nearly bounced off his face.

* * *

" _...never been done before, but apparently there's a first time for everything; and True Love can't be denied. Our sources say that several of the most influential families in the Capitol all asked for it; and President Snow, in his generosity, gave a special Presidential Order to make it happen. For commentary on this, we have one of the Capitol favorites, Finnick Odair. Finnick, what's going through your mind today? You were one of the people insisting that Peeta and Johanna were just friends."_

" _I was indeed, Ceaser. But you know how close Johanna plays her emotions. I've only spoken to Peeta once or twice, but that, and what I saw in his Games? Peeta strikes me as the type to win over the hardest of hearts. If Johanna Mason_ _did_ _fall in love, the last thing she'd do is let on to the public."_

" _I hope Mellark realizes how lucky he is. And the Capitol is certainly rejoicing to hear that the love story continues!"_

" _And for this story, it was either hold a State Function every week, or just let them be together. I hope it works out. If it does, it's the happiest ending they could ever have."_

" _And if it doesn't?"_

" _Then they're stuck with each other. But I know Johanna, and I know what it's like to be a Victor. We're alive because we take the big chances. Deep down, everyone's a Romantic, Ceaser. This I know. Even a President."_

" _A heartwarming thought, Finnick! Congratulations, District Twelve. You've got a female Victor after all!"_

* * *

Stunned, Katniss looked to Hazelle to make sure. "She's coming here?"

"The Capitol's most influential people demanded it. By direct Presidential Order, Johanna Mason is now a Citizen of District Twelve." Hazelle nodded, looking at the girl carefully. "You okay?"

Katniss stared at the screen for thirty seconds, before she gave Hazelle a blank look. "Fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

She turned and walked out without a look back at the screen; as the whole country watched Peeta and Johanna board the train, arm in arm.

* * *

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Effie shrilled wildly. "Is she staying in your house? Does your family know? Are you two getting married? Have you told Katniss? Is she living at Victor's Village? Is she bringing her own Staff? Does she have her own Escort?" Effie clutched a hand to her heart, startled. "Am I  **fired**?!"

"Effie, let them alone." Haymitch barked. "Let her at least get to Twelve before she realises she's made a horrible mistake."

"Haymitch! That's awful!" Effie squawked.

"Effie, I would never send you away." Johanna promised. "You're far too entertaining. Now if you'll excuse us, Peeta and I want to christen the train properly."

Effie sputtered out something about propriety, while Haymitch guffawed something about Peeta having a surprisingly happy birthday; and the Avoxes tried to wrangle Portia and the rest of the style team out of the way…

And with all the speed and reflexes that a Victor had, Johanna hauled Peeta into the bedroom section of the traincar and slammed the door shut; with everyone else on the other side. The room was dead silent suddenly, and Peeta locked the door deliberately; keeping the rest of the world out.

Pause.

Johanna pulled a small device from her pocket, and pushed a button. "This'll give us a few minutes to talk before they realize the  _real_  reason they can't hear us saying anything."

"You knew." Peeta said quietly. "The announcement this morning? You knew it was coming."

"I did. It wasn't easy to arrange. Tigris put it over the top." She nodded. "It was also to save my life. Snow had noticed me talking with the other victors a little too much. This is a strategic withdrawal."

"And you didn't tell me...?" Peeta asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Johanna bit her lip. "Because of last night. Because everything that happens now… It'll always be through the lens of 'how does this affect the Cover Story?' But last night was just because we wanted to, and nothing else. At least,  _I_  wanted to. I don't know what happens now, but-"

"You can't undo it." Peeta whispered. "And I don't mean last night. You can't undo this. I've seen Seven now. Twelve is… well, it's a dump. It's filthy, and poverty-stricken and starving; and covered in black flammable dust. Your people… your home, your friends? You can't go back to them."

"If Haymitch suddenly had to switch Districts tomorrow?" Johanna challenged. "Who would he miss? I told you that I very carefully, very deliberately, don't have anyone to say goodbye to. I don't know if you noticed, but we aren't making a stop in Seven for me to have a teary farewell with anyone. They're gonna mail me my clothes." She looked at him sideways. "Is it that, or is it that after last night, you're a lot more stuck with me than you expected; and that's a problem for you?"

"If you were worried about that, you should have brought it up last night." He shot back.

"And if I had?" She was actually a little scared of the answer. "Would we still have…"

Peeta interrupted her with a kiss. It lasted several seconds before they broke apart. "Sorry, but I figured someone had to declare, one way or the other." He drawled. "Some guys join the Resistance and lose their families, some guys lose their jobs, some risk imprisonment and torture. My sacrifice is to have a sexy woman move in with me and convince anyone watching that we're mad for each other?" He smothered a wry smirk. "Woe is me."

"Mm." She kept a respectful distance. Around other people she was plastered to him. In private, she stepped back. "And Katniss Everdeen? Where does she fit into that?"

"Please don't ask me to answer that question yet. I've only had this news for half an hour."

* * *

_I don't care. I don't care._ Katniss told herself mentally, over and over on a loop.  _I don't care. I don't care. I don't care. I don't care._

"What is all this?"

Katniss jumped. Gale had snuck up on her, which should have been impossible.  _I must be more distracted than I thought. Distracted, but not caring._  "Hey. Thought you were working."

"I was. Then I heard the joyful news." Gale nodded, sitting beside her on the log. "Where did all this come from?"

Katniss looked at the large sack full of food. "I… Well, to be honest, I cleaned out Peeta's kitchen. I don't imagine it'd be good for me to hang out there anymore, so…"

"He eats like this all the time?"

"Most of it goes to people in the District. People with kids of Reaping Age get more attention than most. I think Peeta's afraid of the kids at school now. He can't face them, so he gives their parents food."

Gale nodded. "Sounds like Peeta." He let out a breath. "So. You're mad."

"Nope." Katniss said instantly.

"Jealous?"

"Gale!"

"Well, I'm sorry. I don't know where any of us are right now. Johanna moving in makes it worse for you if you wanted a happy ending with Peeta."

"And better for you, I guess." Katniss didn't look at him. "Johanna moving in eliminates the competition?"

Gale's voice dropped. "Are we competing, Katniss? Peeta and Me? Am I even in the game? Because Madge tells me you're living on his Kitchen floor whenever you come into the District. Even the Avox get cots."

"I wasn't there for Peeta. In case you haven't noticed, nothing's happened with him since his name got pulled out of that damn bowl." Katniss sighed. "I was staying there... because Victor's Village is the only place in Twelve that doesn't make me think of Prim."

"Peeta doesn't make you think of Prim?"

Katniss started to cry. No sobs, no hitched breathing, no weeping. Just heavy tears rolling slowly over her hollow cheeks. "I couldn't even hold her, Gale. Peeta didn't let go of her, even after she… died. Peeta did for Prim what I should have been there to do. It felt like staying in range of him was the closest I'd ever get to being there for her as she closed her eyes."

"If you think that'll ever change-"

"Prim is gone." Katniss grated out. "And I have to stop killing myself for scraps of her memory."

"Not buyin' it." Gale said. "Your memories of her are perfect. You don't have to be with Peeta for that."

Katniss nodded. "I know."

"And you knew that yesterday, so that's not why you were at his house." Gale asked. "Now that Johanna's going to be there, on his arm; probably in his bed, part of his life; like he always wanted you to b-"

Katniss spun around and kissed Gale savagely. He yelped into her mouth and she moved with him as he reared back, until they both overbalanced, with her on top of him. She kept her mouth on his until oxygen deprivation made stars shine behind her eyelids. They broke, with her fingers bunching into his tunic so tightly the cloth was starting to tear.

"...wow! Ow." Gale gasped.

Katniss hadn't moved away, pretty much on top of him. "Gale, do me a favor." She gulped air. "Don't say Peeta's name again. Not him, not Johanna, not Prim. I don't want to talk about any of them. I need you to be here now. Just you. None of them."

"Okay." Gale promised. "I'll be here. Will you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you with me right now, or… somewhere else?"

Katniss wanted to scowl, knowing what he was asking. Instead, she kissed him again, soft and heated. "Here." She promised. "I'm here."

* * *

Johanna poked her head out of the bedroom car. No sign of Effie or their entourage. She padded out to the buffet table and started picking at it, only to find Haymitch was there, watching silently. She stared back at him for a long moment.

Haymitch looked her up and down, then looked back at the bedroom she'd left; before he raised a single eyebrow. He'd asked the question and given her warning. They'd had half the conversation in one look.

Johanna looked around. Nobody there. She pulled out her Jammer and pushed the button. "Three minutes."

Haymitch said nothing.

For a full minute, neither did she. Finally, she broke first. "Nobody has ever just been  _nice_  to me before." She admitted. "There's always been a reason, or an agenda."

Haymitch gave a single nod.

"And I can handle that. I am well defended." Johanna tapped her chest, right over her heart. "I can handle my 'clients'. I can handle the Capitol. I can handle the Press. I can handle The Peacekeepers. I can handle the Arena." She spread her hands wide. "I have no defence against kindness."

Haymitch nodded. "Neither do I." He admitted. "Twenty five years, and I've never needed to worry about 'nice'. It's a weak spot nobody has ever tried to exploit with me."

"Me neither." Johanna nodded. "But I hadn't realized how much I wanted someone to be nice to me."

Haymitch nodded and finally stood up. He went to the table, picked up a bottle, and stalked off to his room. "I don't want to talk about this again."

* * *

The Train pulled into Twelve, and Peeta found Madge waiting. "This is getting to be a habit." Peeta commented, giving her a hug. "People will talk."

" _Three_  rumored romances would be pushing it." Madge teased him, and turned to Johanna. "Not sure if you remember me. I was at your Victory Tour when you came through Twelve."

Johanna studied her. "The Mayor's Daughter. You gave me flowers."

"She remembers! You should call me Madge." She turned back to Peeta. "Well. I told you to bring me back a Souvenir." She smirked. "But this was not what I meant."

Peeta chuckled. "Things happen fast."

"Stuff happened while you were away, too." Madge's voice dropped. "We have a new Peacekeeper in charge now. His name is Thread. The first thing he did was 'relieve' Clay of his command. Nobody's seen Darius since. They also put up a Gallows; a stockade… They haven't been without customers since Thread got here."

"A little reminder from Snow that we're not out of reach." Johanna nodded. "This is how it is in all the Districts, Miss-  _Madge_. Peeta tells me that they were more laid-back about it here. It's not because they're nicer. It's because nobody gives a crap about District Twelve."

"Well, they do now." Peeta said quietly, eyes on Johanna.

"They do now." Johanna nodded.

* * *

She asked nothing of him for the first night. She came to his house, until her house in Victor's Village could be 'restored to full working order'. Twelve was scrambling to get ready for a third Victor. Once they were alone, she dropped her bags in Peeta's guest room without asking. Peeta didn't comment on her choice.

She didn't flirt with him over dinner; though she could tell he was making a more 'romantic' effort with their food than he had with anyone. They ate by one of the many fireplaces, with candles instead of electric lights. She wasn't sure if it was an invitation, or 'part of the cover' for anyone walking past the house. There were a few people curious enough to find an excuse to wander through Victor's Village.

But he made no move beyond the meal; and part of her was relieved. The two of them moved to the library, and she scanned his helves, wondering if he was allowed anything she wasn't in Seven. They both picked a book and sat by the fireplace, neither of them really caring about the books in their hands, neither of them willing to speak first.

She knew she'd crossed a line by sleeping with him. She had known the announcement was coming, and he didn't. A line that Peeta wouldn't be ready for under any other circumstances. Nor would he be ready to have her move in after one night; but the Capitol had made her a fact of his life; and he wasn't even making a snide remark. He had immediately known that she couldn't leave Twelve, which meant they were together for the rest of their lives, or until the Capitol was no more.

Part of her felt like she'd trapped him. Part of her felt like she'd used her body to manipulate his loyalty to the Rebel cause. Given that the Capitol had rented them both out at one time or another, she hated herself for doing anything remotely similar.

_So why did you do it?_ She asked herself.

She already knew the answer. She'd even confessed it to Peeta.  _Because you are starting to fall for him, and you wanted him to be with you, for one night, without the Revolution being there in your bed too._ She shivered. _But he'll never see it that way. He thinks you played him. And you did. The fact that you did it for yourself and not the Cause has nothing to do with it._

"I'm sorry." She said to him finally, voice barely above a whisper. "I should have told you, before we did anything. I'm sorry."

Peeta looked at her. "I'm not." He returned quietly. "You were right. Before the Announcement, it could be real. After, I don't know. But it was the best I've felt since my name came out of that bowl."

"We are still Allies, then?"

"Jo, you're District Twelve now. Nobody else  _ever_  allies with us."

"They allied with you." Johanna reminded him, remembering Thresh and Rue.

"I picked my team, the night of my first 'date' with Tigris."

Johanna gazed at him a moment, before finally feeling a smile tug at her lips. And just like that, she knew they'd be Allies for life. She set her book aside. "I'm going to take a shower." She said. "If you want to join me, you'd be welcome. But it's up to you, now that you know where I'll be tomorrow."

Peeta watched her go, the book in his hands forgotten. His eyes followed her as she left the room.

A few minutes later he put the book away and followed. As he came into the foyer, between the front door and the stairs, he could hear the water running up above. Whatever romance was brewing with Johanna, it was out of character for him to act like this. But he was still an eighteen year old guy, and couldn't think of a single reason why he should turn down the offer. Not a practical one, anyway.

As if to provide one, there was a knock at the door. And it was Katniss.

_Did she read my mind?_ Peeta thought wildly for a moment. "Hey."

She looked more nervous than he'd ever seen her. "Hi. Can we talk? Just for a minute?"

Peeta's mind flicked back to Johanna. The water was still running upstairs. "Sure, come on in."

She shut the door behind her, but came no closer, leaning back against it. "I… have a problem. I can't afford the Doctor in town, and if I go to the Apothecary, then… Well, it means my mother would know."

"Are you okay?" Peeta asked instantly, his concern for her obvious. "Whatever you need, I can afford it now…"

Katniss winced hard, and put both hands up. "I'm not a cruel person, Peeta. I don't mean to be. Self absorbed, sure… Clueless about this sort of thing, always. But I never want to be  _cruel_."

"I know." He said immediately.

"Just… remember that when I tell you this." Katniss took a shuddering breath. "I need… Madge called them 'Morning After Pills'."

Katniss could pinpoint the precise moment he got the implication, and could almost hear his heart crack. "Oh." He said finally. "Gale?" He shook his head. "No! I'm sorry. None of my business. Please forget I said that."

"I know that asking you for this is twisting the knife, but I can't turn to anyone else." Katniss pleaded. "Nobody else in town has the kind of money, or access they'd need to get me medicine. Nobody who'll help me, anyway. One or two of the Peacekeepers will give a girl that particular treatment, but only if… Well…"

"I know." Peeta whispered.

"Most people in Twelve have to trust luck or timing. I can't do that." Katniss was wringing her hands. "Peeta, this is mortifying for us both, but I just can't risk it. Not for anything, no matter how painful, embarrassing, or awkward. I just won't risk it. Not even for-" She cut herself off.

Peeta was biting his lip so hard she could tell he'd drawn blood. The end of that sentence was clear:  _Not even for Gale._

Silence.

Looking at him, there were starving puppies in the Seam that Katniss felt less pity for. "Yes." She said finally. "You asked me weeks ago, and I couldn't give you an answer. Yes, I love Gale. He is mine, and… And I'm his." She squeezed her eyes shut. "But I won't give him children. Won't even risk it. If it happens… I don't know what I'll do to stop it, but it'll be bad."

"Okay." Peeta nodded. Nothing more than simple acceptance.

"Does that make me sound very selfish?" Katniss asked, a little awkward.

"I know that if she'd had the pills, mom never would have had me." Peeta held out a hand, rested it on her shoulder. "Katniss, my name was indeed called. I know what it's like to dread losing something so much that you won't let yourself feel a moment's love for it." He sighed. "And I know what it's like to  _be_  that something."

Katniss' face crumpled. "I'm sorry to lay this on you. I just... I'm terrified. Nothing at all, no threat of torture or starvation, scares me more than this."

"I know." Peeta sighed. "I would do anything to take that fear away."

She flushed bright pink. "But you won't help me?"

"I can't. Victors are allowed any medical care they want... except contraceptives."

"Really?" She was so surprised she forgot to be scared for a moment. "Why?"

"Because, little bird." A cool, sensual voice rang out from the top of the stairs. "They go through so many contestants, that when a Victor provides one, the commentators go wild."

They both turned to see Johanna coming down the staircase, wearing a towel. Her hair was still wet from the shower. Peeta hadn't even noticed the sound of the water turning off.

"Also, Victors are celebrities. Some girls are determined to get their hooks in, good and deep. A Victor's baby-mama will never go hungry." Johanna swayed up to Peeta and slapped his ass possessively. "And this one? Good enough to put out to stud already." She gave Peeta a saucy look. "Dont'cha think?"

Katniss looked at Johanna like a roach to be crushed, and then turned expectantly to Peeta; as if expecting him to snap Johanna back right away.  _Say something. Defend her._  Peeta realized.  _Say something to support Katniss._

Except he couldn't think of anything. Nothing that wouldn't make it worse. With Katniss present, Johanna's 'vamp' was more full-on than she'd ever been in the Capitol.

Before he could continue, Johanna held out a necklace with a Mockingjay pendant on it to him, dangling it off one finger. "Would you help me with this?" She demurred.

Peeta cleared his throat and stepped closer to Johanna as he put the necklace on her, fingers brushing over the nape of her neck. Katniss' eyes were locked on the Mockingjay pendant. The golden bird was identical to Prim's token, if a little newer. Johanna smiled at her. "Your little 'moment' on the Victory Tour started quite a trend back in the Capitol, Katniss. Everyone's wearing them these days."

And then the towel dropped, seemingly by accident, leaving Johanna wearing nothing but the necklace. Katniss' face turned to stone, and Peeta choked on his own tongue, resolutely forcing himself to look at Johanna, and not Katniss' reaction. Johanna didn't even blink. "Thanks, babe." She smiled at Peeta. "It's the first thing you ever gave me. I feel so naked without it."

Katniss turned her deathglare to Peeta, which only served to confuse him more. But before Katniss could storm off, Johanna had hooked an arm around Katniss' shoulders and pulled her along toward the stairs. "Come along, Mockingjay; I can help you out."

* * *

Katniss tried to be as far away from Johanna's skin as she could get, which wasn't easy with the arm around her shoulders. But eventually, Johanna had swept her into the guest room, where her bags were. The minute the door closed behind them, she dropped the sensual tone; and went to her bags. She went through the luggage for a minute and pulled on a warm robe. In the pocket was a pillbox. "Here. Take two. If your tryst happened more than 36 hours ago, they won't help, but if you're still in that window, you have nothing to worry about."

Katniss stared. Johanna was suddenly talking straight and being helpful. The femme fatale of thirty seconds ago was gone. This was the Johanna that Katniss had shown her skill with the bow. She could turn it on and off like a switch.

Johanna smirked. "That wasn't for you. It was for Peeta. He's fun. I have a weakness for men who blush far too easily."

Katniss took the pills from her. "I thought the Capitol didn't hand out things like this to Victors."

"They don't. But for a price, you can get anything." Johanna actually looked understanding. "The one thing the Audience loves during the Games  _more_  than a wildcard? A Pedigree. You think you and Peeta's mom are the only ones terrified to love your own children? That's our life now. His and mine. It's supposed to be a random draw, but when they want someone badly enough... Ever wonder why so many siblings wind up on Victory Tours? Be grateful that they didn't let you volunteer. If you had won, it would have signed Prim's death sentence anyway."

Katniss' face hardened, as it always did when Prim came to mind, and she stormed out. She had swallowed two pills dry by the time she reached the stairs.

* * *

She made it to the front door, where Peeta waited for her, with a large basket full of food. "Take this too, please?"

She had alreasy cleaned out his kitchen, and he surely knew that; but he was begging her to take more food. She did so... and paused before walking out. "Johanna's in your guest room."

Peeta nodded. "Yeah. Why?"

"Nothing, I just… I sort of assumed you'd be sharing." Katniss shook her head, and went to the door, before pausing again. "During the Games, you told Prim that you would have given anything to send her home to me."

Peeta nodded.

"If it had come down to you and Prim as the final two... would you have gone through with that promise?"

"Yes." Peeta said without hesitation.

Katniss didn't even look at him, flustered by that. "She..." Katniss started walking again. "She's waiting for you upstairs."

Katniss was halfway to the Everdeen house before she checked the packet Johanna had given her. There were multiple doses.

_I could go to Gale right now. Without having to worry._ She thought. _Or I can go back to the cabin in my woods and never return, like I always wanted to… Peeta's got Johanna now. My hands are clean at last…_

Johanna's voice came to her. _"And wouldn't Snow love it that way? If everyone who could fight back just wanted to run away and leave the whole world to him?"_

Katniss scowled.  _Johanna was right on the money. People like me are why the Games exist._

_What's it going to be, Katniss?_

* * *

Peeta came into the guest room. She hadn't shut the door. "You don't fool me, you know. Bare skin isn't to shock or even to tempt. Its battle armor. I'm still a Victor. I know a power play."

Johanna was dressed again, and she shrugged. "Sure. I won't deny it." She said easily. "You gonna go after her? Before she finds her boyfriend?"

"She arrived while you were waiting in my shower, Jo. I don't get to act jealous or clingy."

"How about 'heartbroken'?" She returned, carefully neutral. "For me, the hardest part about becoming a Victor was accepting that what I wanted in life was gone forever; and something new had started."

Peeta was silent a moment. "Why'd you give her the pills?" He asked suddenly. "It's risky, if she ever got caught. Worse, if she tells anyone she got them from you. And you gave her the whole box. Why, if one dose would be enough?"

Johanna gave him a wicked smirk. "Ohhhh, y'know. Just in case."

He just looked at her.

Johanna's smirk faded, and just for a moment, there was insecurity. It was wiped away instantly, and Johanna left the room without another word.

But Peeta had seen the moment of weakness, and realized the answer as she left.  _If Katniss stays with Gale, she won't come back here._

* * *

The next day, there was a knock at Peeta's door. It was Gale's mother.

Peeta hustled her into the house quickly. "Hi. I'm glad you came."

"I was surprised to get the invite." Hazelle gave him a look. "If you needed a chaperone, you could have asked your own mother."

"Who invites their mom to hang out with their girlfriend?"

"Is that what she is?" Hazelle asked cannily. The people who knew Peeta personally knew Johanna's arrival was more than what the television said; if only because it was out of character for Peeta. They also knew better than to gossip about such things openly.

"It's what the world thinks she is, and today that's enough." Peeta shook his head. "I want to hire you. You've done laundry for half the District. How'd you like to have better than a washboard and line in your backyard to do that?"

"You're starting a laundromat?"

"My house has a full washer/dryer laundry room, and very few people live here. I want to hire you and your kids as household staff."

"You could have an Avox. Or twenty." Hazelle countered. "You wouldn't have to pay them."

Peeta didn't seem to hear that. "You can still take on the laundry from the rest of the Seam on the side, and use my laundry for it-"

"Peeta." Hazelle interrupted. "I'm grateful, but… You can't feed the whole District. You know that, right?"

"I know." Peeta whispered.

"And if you do it for the Everdeens, and the Hawthornes, it's only a matter of time before you have to do it for the Burnells, and the Weavers, and the…"

"I know." Peeta groused. "Are you saying no?"

"Of course not." She said immediately. "You're right: I need this. For my kids. But that's for us. Right now, I'm talking about what it means for you." She looked around the house. "So. Where should I start?"

* * *

"You  _do_  know a power move when you see one." Johanna commented as Peeta came back upstairs. "What I can't figure is this: Are you giving Katniss a way to still talk to you without being here, or are you trying to keep an eye on her boyfriend without him knowing?"

"Neither. This is as far as I go with Katniss." Peeta sighed hard. "It breaks my heart into a million pieces, but I'm not an obsessed stalker. You were right. My life is different now. I have to let go of what's already gone."

Johanna carefully said nothing to that.  _It's not going to be that easy. It's the hardest thing in the world to stop chasing what you've wanted all your life._

"I know, it's unfair to you-"

"No, wait. You don't get to put it all on yourself." Taking pity, Johanna confessed. "Victors stand alone. The last one standing. That's the whole point of us. But back in Seven... Sometimes I can't stand sleeping alone, so I go out and find someone. What they want from me lasts five minutes, and I get to sleep for three or four hours."

Peeta blinked, a little surprised.

Johanna winced at his expression. "If I just ruined 'the romance'... Well, I'm not even sorry. You would never be able to go for a 'no strings' kind of relationship. But I am a vamp. And I am a killer. I'm only alive because I am. I'm more like Haymitch than you think. I cling to vice to handle the violence; and I cling to violence to know I can face the world and stay alive. You're the only one to come out of the Arena without blood."

Peeta was silent a moment. "That night I stayed in your room, during the Angel Light shoot. Did you sleep?"

She nodded.

"But we didn't do anything that night."

"I guess not, but-" Johanna floundered. "But I've never asked... Victors don't ask for someone to be gentle."

"So you wear your battle armor to bed." He nodded. "I'm not used to thinking like that yet. Can… can you be patient with me?" Peeta asked her. "You wanted something real, even if for one night. I can't promise it'll be quick, and we do have a cover to maintain. But whatever happens in this house, it won't  _ever_  be for the Capitol."

"Is that the problem?" Johanna asked lightly. "Me over Katniss is the Capitol's preferred choice, so part of you just wants to fight it on principle?"

"Is that so hard to understand?"

"Not even a little bit." Johanna admitted. "If Snow ever said that he liked my hair, I would have to stop myself from shaving it off."  _Yes, I can be patient with you_.

* * *

Later that afternoon there was a swift angry knock on the door. Peeta opened the door and found Gale, with his fists bunched. "You really are a sonofabitch."

"Y'know that's more of an insult to my mom than me, right?" Peeta blinked. "What did I do?"

"You put my mom on your payroll?!"

"Your younger siblings, too. What's the matter, Gale? With the Hob shut down, I would have thought you'd be glad to know your family won't starve. Your triple shifts in the mine can't keep the whole Hawthorne clan fed. Rory's old enough for Tesserae. Now he doesn't have to."

"And it's just a coincidence that you made the offer, the day after you found out about me and Katniss." Gale scorned.

"Not a coincidence at all, in fact it was the only way I could think of to help."

Gale froze. "Help?"

"You thought I was trying to put your family on a leash?" Peeta sighed. "Figure it out, Gale. If I wanted to force Katniss back to me, why would I start by making your situation  _less_  desperate, and your family  _less_  hungry? The less you have to work, the more time you have for her."

Gale stared at him. "Then why?"

"Maybe because the tighter things are, the more times you and Rory have your names in that damn bowl!" Peeta finally snapped.

"Oh." Gale froze, his brain realigning suddenly. "Oh my god."

"It's your last year in contention for Reaping. Rory is twelve. He's got a long time to roll the dice." Peeta hissed, like he was sucking air through a straw. "They can't even look at me, Gale. Nobody with kids!" Peeta was starting to gasp around his own words. "You and Katniss are together now. What happens to either of you if a Hawthorne gets pulled out of that bowl; and I come back from the Capitol alone?  _Again_."

Gale stared at him, fists opening, shoulders sagging. "Oh, hell… Peeta…"

"What… what happens to anyone?" Peeta was quietly going to pieces. "Someone will be going with me! I don't know who!"

Gale was stricken. "And I came over here to attack you for it."

"I can't take your name out of that bowl, Gale. Dozens of slips with your name on it. One with Rory. Prim only had one slip in the bowl. The odds couldn't have been  _more_  in her favor…" He was pale as death, blood gone from his face; weaving on his feet. "You got the whip after Prim. What if it's Rory next?! I couldn't make her eat, Gale. I couldn't make her eat the food I was begging her to take!"

"Peeta-"

"Y'know the first place you Tour as a Victor? The school. My big Tour of the District as the Conquering Hero? The first thing they did was walk me past all the kids, whose names are still in the Reaping. First thing you see when they welcome you home." Peeta wasn't talking to Gale anymore. Not really. "I can't take any of those slips out of the bowl!"

He was falling apart completely. Having a breakdown right there on the front doorstep. Gale was torn, trying to reassure him, trying to back away, unable to do either. "Peeta… Peeta, breathe!"

Johanna was suddenly right there in the doorway. "I got this." She told Gale shortly. "Beat it. You saw nothing."

She slammed the door between them before Gale could say another word.

* * *

"I-(Gasp) Don't (gasp) know what's (gasp) happening!" Peeta hissed, leaning back against the closed door.

"You're having a panic attack, babe." Johanna said patiently. "We've all been there. Just focus on your breathing. There's a world full of air, ready for you to take in." She pulled him close to her; putting his face in her neck. "Just keep your eyes closed, focus on something. Something not Prim. Not the Games. Focus on me."

Her voice had turned hypnotic, certain. Peeta clung to it desperately. "I-I-Can't do this! It's too much! (Gasp) They're too big!"

"I've had to do this myself, Peeta." She kept going, voice still carefully measured. She took one of his hands and put it on her chest, right over her lungs. "Breathe with me. Don't go anywhere else, just focus on breathing like I do. The air's going in and out, in little sips. But little sips are all you need. Focus on me.  _Breathe_  with me."

Peeta was being held in the crook of her neck, and he suddenly became aware she had freckles. She had three of them, in a flat triangle, right above her collarbone.  _Focus on those._  He told himself.  _Three freckles. One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three._

And little by little, Peeta came back to himself, settling; head spinning. "Jo?"

"I'm here." She promised.

* * *

Ten minutes later, they were in the kitchen. Peeta had a mug of spiced chocolate in his hands, still trembling a bit. Johanna was still holding him steady as he weaved a bit on his stool; but she was already back in 'vamp' mode. "So. That was the competition?" Johanna asked with a blatantly lecherous grin, gesturing the direction Gale had gone. "If you think he can be discreet about you and me, I am prepared to… throw myself on the grenade, keep him busy; maybe give you and Katniss a chance after all."

"You are so selfless." Peeta snorted.

"I know. I don't know why everyone doesn't see that." She was still resting her hands on his shoulders. They both seemed to be aware of it in the same moment, and she pulled back a bit.

"You all go through this, huh?" Peeta rubbed his eyes a moment. "I wonder if Cato would have reacted this way?"

"Hard to tell. The Career Packs are so keyed up they're eager for killing. Theirs, other people's… They're Death Lovers. I think they get screwed up long before the Arena. For most of us, the thing that makes us shudder is not so much what we survived, it's…"

"It's that we have to put other people through it too." Peeta nodded. "I was telling it to Gale, and it's like it suddenly hit me, how  _long_  I'm going to be doing this. I'll never really leave the Arena. Every year, back again, with two more kids…"

She was touching him again. "I know. I know, babe."

"You were right. It's not just letting go of Katniss. I'll never have  _any_  part of the life I thought about."

"That's not automatically a bad thing. Just different. It's not a sin for things to change."

And she found he was holding her hand. "No. No, it isn't."

Johanna spoke gently. "And no matter how hard you try, you can't save them all."

Peeta bit his lip. "That one I'm not ready to give up on yet."

"You'll fail. More than that, you'll drive yourself insane."

"I know. But I can't say 'yes, I'll help this one' and then close up shop for the next one. It seems cruel to be so… random."

She actually smiled for him. "I know. But it's okay if you have to dedicate some of your days to saving yourself."

* * *

"So, did you punish him properly?" Katniss drawled quietly as Gale returned to their hunting spot.

"Peeta is too good for either of us." Gale said emotionally. "Why wouldn't you eat when he cooked for you?"

Katniss actually laughed. "Infuriating, isn't he?" She agreed.

Gale sat down heavily. "It would be so much easier if I could just hate him."

"I've had the same thought." Katniss rose and drew her bow in a motion so smooth that Gale barely noticed it. She nailed a rabbit so fast it never saw her coming.

* * *

From the guest room, Johanna could hear Peeta getting up around two in the morning. He padded down the hall past her room; and didn't come back.

Another half hour; and she gave up on sleep, and went looking for him.

She found him in his studio. Johanna hadn't commented on the paint under his fingernails every morning. He painted at night, cooked in the early morning; napped here and there. She'd never intruded. Officially, she didn't live here. Officially, the next house along was being restored for their first female Victor, and Peeta was putting her up until it was ready.

The door wasn't locked, but she came no further than the doorway. It wasn't a studio, so much as an upstairs dining room. Peeta had moved all the furniture out and laid down dropclothes over the hardwood.

Johanna noticed his latest work, still in progress, was of her. It was of their night together. But it wasn't indiscreet. It was only of her face. Johanna doubted that anyone who hadn't been in the room would recognize the image, beyond the fact that it was her. It was just her face, with the rain on the windows of that night behind her. He'd painted her without her makeup. Without jewellery or anything artificial. He'd painted her as a young woman. Just that. And she had to admit, she looked beautiful.

_Is that what he sees when he looks at me?_

And finally, he noticed her. "Did I wake you?"

"Wasn't asleep." She gestured. "What do you do with them?"

"Well, Cinna got a look at them. I'm told they were going to open a gallery, until someone decided having them all to themselves was more 'fun' for some rich guy in the Capitol. The bidding was fierce for these too." He looked down at his brushes. "But that's these ones. Some of them I don't show anyone."

She understood that before he'd said it. He was pouring his heart and soul out through his brushes. He couldn't give the Capitol everything.

"You haven't met the Morphlings." Johanna said softly. "They're the only Tributes who were as good at camoflague as you. Brother and Sister. They both just hid until everyone was dead. You see them now… They stay doped as long as possible, all day. Drug themselves into delirium and watch the clouds." She shivered. "I only spoke with one of them once. They were painting too. Their 'escort' wouldn't give them sharp implements, so they just played with paintbrushes, drawing flowers on their skin. They won their games at twelve and fourteen; haven't had a coherent thought since."

"You worried about me going that way?" Peeta gestured at the endless mixtures of paint that surrounded him.

"No." Johanna said honestly. "These paintings are amazing." She actually had a tear gathering in her eye.  _Peeta, I think you're stronger than me._ "So, where's Katniss?"

Peeta froze, the brush going still.

"I'm not jealous." She promised. "You told me you were letting her go; but that wasn't more than a few days ago. I know you haven't tossed them already. If you're pouring your heart out, there's no way she's not in here. C'mon, you've got the Arena, you've got Prim; you've got Rue; you've even got Cato... Where is she?"

Peeta sighed hard, and went over to the stack of finished paintings, pulling the drop cloth away. He'd covered them up and put them away. Half a dozen paintings of Katniss Everdeen.

One or two were beauty shots. The rest were more allegorical. There was one of her holding a loaf of burned bread. There was one of her with a pair of huge blue wings. One had Katniss in a white wedding gown, only the train was morphing into a flock of mockingjays in flight.

The wedding gown image jarred her. Her own picture was less… imaginative, but no less flawless.

"I put them under the cloth when I started writing those letters to you."

Johanna didn't look away from the painting. "None of those letters were written to  _me_ , Peeta."

Peeta gave her a look anyway. "If I still thought me and Katniss could walk off into the sunset together… I don't think that night would have happened."

_But it did happen._  Johanna honestly wasn't sure whether to be pleased, or stung.  _So he'd made up his mind before that morning._  It had been three days since her realization at how real her feelings for him were getting. Three days of watching him peel his heart away from his dream-Katniss and give it to her, one slice at a time. It was agony. It was ecstasy. It was thrilling. It was frustrating. All Johanna knew was that she wanted more.

"It's not just your heart involved." Johanna said finally. "Moving here was tactical, as much as anything else. You're saving my life by keeping me with you. You're risking Katniss' life if she made you the same offer."

"I know." Peeta admitted, and kissed her softly. There was no heat to it. It was… pure. It was a promise of goodness, without a trace of lust. "Warriors and Victors are cowards. The only thing we ever risk is our lives. You learn a lot about someone by what they keep hidden. You've kept your heart hidden well. I don't take it lightly, what you said that night. You put your heart in the firing line. I've only ever done that once. When I did, it was the bravest thing I've ever done, so I think it must have been the same for you."

_And that's two Victors talking._  "Real?"

"Real."

Johanna felt her heart slow, become totally at peace suddenly. Yes. This was a war. And Peeta's honesty and kindness, combined with her experience and growing affection, would form a sword and shield to keep them both safe.

_Safe from Snow, or from the shadow of Katniss Everdeen?_  A traitorous voice said in her mind; but she pushed that thought away.

Instead, she threaded her fingers through his, and took the brush out of his hand. "Come to bed." She told him softly.

He gave his latest painting one last look; and turned out the lights as she led the way to her room.

* * *

They woke up with the dawn, curled in each other. They'd done nothing but talk for a while. Sleep had come so easily; a first for either of them; but apparently the cold night had made them draw closer to each others warmth, even while they slept. When the sky outside started to lighten, and Peeta saw her room properly, the first thing he saw was the axe beside her bed. There was another, the handle sticking out from under her pillow. She could sleep with a deadly weapon in her hand all night if she wanted. This time, her hand was holding his.

_Haymitch sleeps with a bottle in one hand, and a knife in the other._ Peeta thought distantly.

"No nightmares." Johanna murmured.

"Me neither." Peeta murmured back.

_And all we did was talk for a few minutes._  She hummed happily. "Let's stay here all day."

"Can't. I have bread to bake."

Johanna pulled his arm around her and turned over in the bed, spooning him around her pointedly. "You can try and feed the whole District, Peeta. But you know what you can't do? Take their place. Sooner or later, someone has to go into that Arena instead of you. They did for seventy three years before you."

Peeta sighed and pressed his face into her hair. "Maybe we can stay here a little longer."

Johanna smiled a bit.  _Perfect hiding place._

Peeta suddenly noticed the window, and the world outside becoming visible as the sun rose. "It's snowing."

"Unlike you, I sleep with the window closed." Safe under the quilts, Johanna watched the snow. The winter was weeks old, but Johanna knew what he meant. She was from District Seven. But outside Victor's village, there was little lumber or firewood for the people. District Eleven was Agriculture, but they weren't allowed food. District Twelve was Coal. But they'd never be given enough coal to heat their homes all winter unless they paid.

It was going to be a long, brutal winter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before I do anything else, I want to give special thanks to the Everlark shippers who have decided to stick with this fic. At least a few of you have made special mention of liking the way Masonlark is turning out here. It is very much appreciated.
> 
> The reasoning for this chapter: Katniss was always at her most drawn to Gale whenever she was either ticked off about being forced into her relationship with Peeta; or when she was ready to leave it all behind and die. Examples: After the Victory Tour, when she decided they had to run. After Gale was whipped and she had to care for him. When she was planning to Kill Snow after Peeta was Jacked. All of these moments involved her throwing herself at Gale, specifically to not think about anything else.
> 
> I always wondered what kind of future Gale and Katniss would have had if the war had never started, or if Peeta had not been involved. And I believe there's a real chance they would have made it, as long as the war never happened. Not because of Prim, but because Katniss wasn't looking for more than revenge. Gale was looking to serve. In this fic, Prim happened before Gale and Katniss ever started, so their relationship will play out differently. Remember, the war hasn't started yet either; and it's going to involve our Mockingjay in a very different way.
> 
> Secondly, I wanted to cement Masonlark as an actual relationship getting started, and not a one night stand. In the last chapter, I made special effort to explain that Johanna wasn't forcing anything when she seduced him. Now you know why. Peeta didn't know about her plans to relocate to Twelve. And before you ask, she didn't tell him because she was under orders. Johanna knows about D13. Peeta doesn't. In a cell group, you let others in very carefully, and Peeta is still an unknown quantity to D13. Johanna vowed to be honest with him; and she didn't lie. She made no secret of the fact that something was going to happen the next morning. But the fact that she didn't tell him what it was is almost as bad, in her mind.
> 
> In the Canon, an Everlark relationship was cover for the Capitol's Agenda. In this fic, Masonlark is a cover for the Rebellion. To make such a relationship work, I either needed a reason for Peeta to go to the Capitol in several more chapters, or I needed a way to keep Johanna in Twelve. Making it a strategic withdrawal met both criteria. An 'arranged marriage' between Katniss and Peeta was the major plot arc for the entire second book. Having a similar path with very different people has made for some interesting storytelling.
> 
> Also, I mentioned that I wanted to keep the 'elevator scene' from CF. But it needed Katniss present to really work. How did it turn out?
> 
> A long-form story is always a balance between plot-driven and character-driven. Hunger Games especially. The relationships involved are at the heart of what all our main characters do, and thus the way the story turns out. This chapter and the last one were character-driven, because I needed all the players in their places for Act Three. In the next chapter, character and plot will overlap. Having established where they are in this AU, it's time to get them busy. After all, Johanna moving to Twelve is something 'new' and Snow isn't going to let such things pass unnoticed.


	10. Surprise Twist

Weeks passed. The winter was now in full force. The mine was shut down by blizzard, and that meant no ration cards. No pay. Nobody had surplus food stores. The Hob had never reopened, so the Tesserae was the only food supply. But the supplies given were changing, suddenly filled with vermin, or spoiled food. It took four Tesserae to match one usual parcel.

Peeta made the invitation to a few families he knew, for them to come eat at Victor's village, but the weather was such that nobody wanted to make the journey. And Peeta was still a Mentor now. A beloved one, but that wasn't much.

Gale's plans to start an uprising went on hold until the weather broke. Katniss hadn't been seen in weeks; but if she was holed up in the woods, or in the Hawthorne house, nobody knew for sure.

The two Victors had been circling closer to each other since becoming neighbors. The distinction was academic, since they spent almost all of their time in public together. Partly to sell the story of a romance, partly because they had other, more private plans to make. Peeta had learned a lot from her in a short time. And little by little, they were growing more used to each other than either had expected. Johanna had two tasks. To set up her cover with Peeta… and to win the trust of her new home.

In private, there was discussion. Johanna and Peeta were giving each other details on themselves; to sell the romance. They needed to know each other as lovers should.

Johanna had seen Peeta winning 'hearts and minds' with his charitable donations; and matched it with one of her own; keeping the apothecary supplied. Johanna's 'Talent' had been gardening, and while Peeta imagined she had little real interest, she knew enough to keep a large herb garden growing. She'd made a change to the renovations for her home; and turned half her backyard into a heated greenhouse. Peeta had them take down Katniss' archery range, and do the same for his yard. Johanna came over to show him a few things, and the two of them grew food and medicinal plants through the winter.

"I have to admit, I didn't expect this side of you." Peeta commented.

"It…" Johanna pulled her head in. "It's not my most obvious feature, I know. But I like making things grow. It's… tranquil. You can't rush it, can't force it. You just have to watch things live on their own. You either make a nice place to grow, or you don't."

Peeta smiled at her. "Wonder what a shot of you in your gardening clothes would go for?"

The two of them worked quietly for a while. "It… it reminds me of where I grew up. The smells. Pine, lavender, citrus blossoms..." Johanna admitted; and her eyes flicked to him quickly. She'd just gone personal again. "I didn't have any of that stuff growing in Victor's Village. So I grew some. I needed a talent for the jackals, and they fixated on my garden."

"You look like an expert to me." Peeta said warmly. She smiled back at him reflexively, wondering why she felt nervous.

* * *

The moment stayed with her long after. She'd never told any of her other 'scratching posts' about her garden. They would have laughed. They would have thought it a strange thing for such a lethal vamp to be proud of. It was fast becoming their way together. Peeta was an open book. Johanna wasn't. A few days of preparing their cover story, and she realized she had told him a lot more about herself than she meant to. He was so easy to talk to, it just came pouring out.

_I had nobody to talk to at hom- In Seven._ Johanna thought. _I didn't think it bothered me._

She pulled out her Jammer and spoke on a different subject, forcing her thoughts away from this one. "I checked in with Madge. I think Katniss is right. Gale's trying to start an Uprising."

Peeta's eyes flicked to the Jammer. "He'll fail."

"He will. And more importantly, when he fails, it'll be a thousand times harder to do it again when the timing is better." Johanna told him. "Your next assignment for the Cause? Get Gale on-side, and don't let him waste his shot."

Peeta nodded. "Understood." He pointed. "I thought we got all the bugs."

"No sense taking any chances." Johanna switched off the Jammer and turned the conversation to other matters. "Hazelle tells me your mom is trying to make nice." Johanna observed. "Why do I get the feeling its something else?"

Peeta grit his teeth a bit. "The Bakery is being hit less hard by the 'supply' problems; thanks to their connection to me. After the Games, my mother was not particularly popular. Twelve has a history of banding together when things get tight. None of us have enough, so we sort of keep an eye on each other, spread around what we can. When I became a Victor, it was sort of decided… well…"

"That the District would be on your side rather than hers?" Johanna guessed. "Amazing to me how a whole District can agree on these things without a word being said."

Peeta nodded. "She's been trying to get me on side since the Games ended."

"You don't strike me as the type to savor a grudge." Johanna commented.

"Well, I have some ideas, but I'd have to clear a few things with people first." Peeta sighed hard. "How can I go back to my family with all of this? I mean, doesn't… Aren't they safer, if we stay strangers?"

Johanna gave him a sympathetic look, and stood up crisply. "You go sort out whatever you've got planned. In the meantime, in case it doesn't work, I'll handle it."

"You will?" Peeta blurted. "How?"

She gave him a smile that could cut glass. "I'll be  _nice_."

* * *

Halfway between the Coal Mine and the Commissary was a small shack, large enough for a small card table. Most of the miners had families. Those that had nowhere to be, and no kids in the bowl, would sometimes play a few rounds of poker before heading home; trying their luck on making their pay packet a little heavier. Gale was spending his lunch break in this room with the Weavers. A family with three kids, all in the Reaping Bowl; they'd been the first ones to come visit Gale after Mrs Everdeen had released him from her care. Gale had noticed that nobody had helped him when he tried to torch the Justice Building, but several people had quietly come to visit him; applaud his actions; if only in private.

Gale's back still hurt when it was cold, or when he was hungry; which was all the time. It was a reminder that kept him motivated. The Weavers were on their way out of their game with Gale; when Peeta passed them, coming in.

Gale froze when Peeta appeared. "Hey."

Peeta sat down. "Deal me in."

Gale froze, eyes flicking to the cards. "You play poker?"

"Once or twice." Peeta nodded, unreadable. "Johanna's been helping me with my poker face."

"Good, you can use all the help you can get." Gale dealt the cards.

Peeta took his cards, didn't even look at them as he set them down; and put a heavy money clip on the table. "Think you can handle the stakes?"

They weren't talking about poker; and Gale knew it immediately. "I gotta try. Can't win if you don't play."

"Really?" Peeta still didn't look at his cards as he peeled off a few bills and put them in the middle of the table. "That was my whole strategy, and I was playing for my life."

"True, but you were the wildcard in that game." Gale regarded him a moment, and tossed a few measly coins in with Peeta's ante. "Cards?"

"No." Peeta glanced at his cards, didn't even reach for them.

"You're not even going to look at your hand?"

"I know my hand." Peeta said plainly. "I know how the game ends… because I know who I'm playing against. I know the cards you have to play; and you can't win." He still didn't reach for his cards. "I don't even have to look. You know why?"

Gale discarded two cards; added replacements to his hand. "Okay. I'll bite. Why?"

Peeta tossed the whole money clip into the pot. More cash than Gale would see in a month. More than he'd be able to gamble if he'd saved for a year. "That's why."

Gale looked at his hand, wondering if he dared. Peeta didn't even know his cards… Gale squared his jaw and set his cards down. "Can't match that bet." He admitted, a little sullen.

"No, you can't. And without even touching my cards, I'm willing to bet your hand wasn't amazing enough to take that risk with what you've earned to feed your family." Peeta collected the winnings. "Katniss tells me you play poker every lunch break, always with someone different, one on one. Sometimes the person you play with will join you for another game, when you invite someone new; but it's never the same people three days in a row. She also mentions that none of you seem to be up or down more than four coins at the end of your lunch break… And that a few of your players don't even work at the Mine."

Gale scowled. "All this work, to find a place where the Capitol won't hear me; and I get ratted out by my girlfriend."

Peeta blew right past that. "I first heard about this game from my big brother. He played here once. Said the usual game was run by some real card sharks. They'd all team up to take the new guy for every coin he had, and then split the profits among themselves. Didn't even try to play each other." Peeta peeled off a few bills from his clip and tossed them in the pot. "The 'new player' can face a rigged game if it's one-on-one. When you're outnumbered; and every other player is working together against you, you can do nothing but lose your shirt." He said, rolling the few coins that Gale had just lost between his fingers. "And not just yours, because with you go your siblings, your mother; and everyone you play with."

Gale glared at the deck of cards. "Y'know, I heard about that Card Shark game when I started working at the Mine. Their regular game didn't last long. Y'know why? One of the 'sharks' got caught stacking the deck. Even with the table weighted so far in their favor, even when they had their mark outmatched so completely… They still had to cheat."

"And people stopped playing, because they knew it wasn't a game anymore. It was a mugging." Peeta agreed. "Unless…"

"Unless?"

"Well, it's not breaking the rules to cheat a cheater." Peeta said gently. "If you stack the deck yourself; if you have players on your side… If you bet  _big_  when that  _perfect_  hand comes along, never to be repeated… Well, that could almost look like a fair game, couldn't it?"

Gale stared at him. "Johanna's a good teacher. I have no idea what's behind that poker face."

Peeta pushed the cards away. "Whatever you're planning, call it off." He told Gale. "I've been to the Capitol, I've been to the other Districts. So has Johanna, so has Haymitch; and we're all saying the same thing: Wait for the moment."

"How many people get whipped; beaten, starved, shot; or Reaped before that moment comes along?" Gale demanded roughly.

"I don't know, but I do know what happens if you go all-in when you don't have the cards." Peeta said seriously. "Something I didn't learn until I got to the Capitol: The Arena is only half the battle. The work starts the second you get picked… or volunteer. In a lot of ways, the fight is won or lost before it ever gets fought." Peeta took a breath. "I have to tell you something that my own family doesn't know. Snow came to my house."

Gale froze. "Are you serious?"

"We had the same conversation you and I are having right now." Peeta nodded. "Snow is worried. And after my Victory Tour, I know why. It's  _simmering_ , Gale. It's right there, bubbling away; all over Panem. Take it from someone who cooks. Once the temperature's up high enough; it can take moments for the water to go from 'nearly still' to 'boiling over'."

Gale leaned closer. "I've got a cell group, Peeta. Almost a dozen people in the right places; ready to do as much damage as we can; and I'm still recruiting."

"In one District." Peeta nodded. "One. Out of Twelve. And nobody in the other eleven will know about it. The only way the Capitol falls is if  _all of them_  are boiling over at once. Snow knows that. It's why the Districts never get to see each other."

"Then how are we supposed to know when…" Gale froze. "Johanna."

Peeta scowled. "Poker face isn't that good, after all."

"Johanna! That's it! Someone from  _another_  District, now in  _ours_. That's why she's here!" Gale was suddenly full of energy. "Peeta, my people have been planning for weeks, figuring out how to get our families out after we strike, how to get past that fence at will; how to hit-and-run... We can  _bleed_  them!"

"They can bleed your people better. And if not them, their families. And if not family, then your neighbors. And if not them, some random idiot who happened to walk past your house at the wrong moment. They're willing to kill for  _spite_ , Gale."

"That's why my people won't wait!"

"No, that's why you  _have_  to." Peeta snapped back. "You light a fire, they put it out. You light a hundred fires at once,  _one_  of them will spread far enough."

"No, Peeta: You're not listening." Gale said seriously. "My 'allies? They  _won't_  wait. They've all got kids in the Reapings, and this year is a Quarter Quell. Last Quarter Quell they doubled the Tributes. What's going to happen this year? They won't wait for long." Gale grit his teeth. "And to be honest, that's why I picked them. The only people who aren't full of fear are the ones full of hate. You want me to talk them down now?"

Peeta shut his eyes hard. "I don't want to see another Reaping any more than they do."

Long silence.

"Imagine if I was dealing a game of poker." Peeta said finally. "You come in and sit down. The first thing I do is handcuff you to the table; and then I shoot you the second you try to pick up the cards I deal you."

Gale scowled. That was exactly what their lives were like.

"You wanna go all-in, or you wanna cancel the game?" Peeta nodded.

"I'll do what I can." Gale said quietly. "But we can't… You, Haymitch, and Johanna are the only ones who are  _guaranteed_  to have food, money; and a ticket back from the next Games. There's only so much patience you can ask of the people with none of those things."

"I know." Peeta said sadly. "But I'll do what I can."

* * *

The Mellark Family Bakery was on the relatively wealthy side of town. Peeta's mother was the only full-time employee; with all her kids moved out of the family house. Her husband worked in the mornings to stock the shelves, and she sold them over the course of a day, tossing the surplus to the butcher's pigs for a supply of meat.

Johanna had arrived, with a cheery smile on her face, and settled at the counter; making polite conversation with whomever came in; and it wasn't that many.

Peeta's mother was glad to have her there, trying to restore her regular customer list. The whole District was talking about the sudden arrival of a Female Victor, and Peeta's supposed lady love. Word spread quickly that she was settled at the Mellark Bakery over a slice of cake; and people trickled into the street, hoping to meet her… but not game to actually come into the Bakery. His mother wasn't popular with Peeta's fans; but Johanna was. Was this a peace offering? Was it time to forgive Mother Mellark? Was Peeta's girlfriend just there to meet his mom?

Peeta's mother had made an effort to make Johanna feel welcome, saying all the right words. Johanna gave her no response, beyond ordering a snack. Mama Mellark had tried again, and Johanna just stared straight through her, and after a while, the older woman gave up.

Finally, one of the 'rubbernecks' made a move. A boy, around thirteen years old, came in and picked up a loaf from the 'affordable' side of the shelves. He made an effort not to stare at Johanna as he carried it to the counter.

"Hi. I'm Johanna." The celebrity said as the loaf was rung up.

"I'm Joril." The young man said.

"Nice to meet you, Joril. You're in a famous spot." Johanna said brightly. "Right there where you're standing? That's the  _exact_  place where Mrs Mellark struck her youngest son hard enough to give him a black eye; as punishment for wanting to feed a starving child outside. A moment made famous by the late Primrose Everdeen sharing that story during the 74th Games. A true highlight in Hunger Games history."

Joril heard that, glanced at Mrs Mellark, and took his money back off the counter. He carefully set the loaf down on the shelf again, ducking out of the store.

Johanna gave her host a winning smile. "I'm glad I came here today. I have so many new people to make friends with."

Peeta's mother scowled. "Fine. So asking Peeta to come by was a mistake."

"His father and brothers had the good sense not to make sport of this." Johanna nodded, as she headed for the door. "You, apparently, needed to learn it. I'm aware that times are tough for you. Times are tough all over, and most people don't deserve it. But in your case, that's what happens when you face the consequences for your actions."

"You don't fool me, you know." Mrs Mellark grit out.

Johanna paused at the door; and came back in. "Fool you?"

"I don't know what's between you and my son, but I know he'd drop you in a heartbeat if Katniss Everdeen ever gave him the time of day. So you're either here for something else, in which case you're using him in a far more dangerous and cold-blooded way than I ever could… Or you're the One Night Stand that decided to move in, and my son's too polite to throw you out. Knowing Peeta as I do, it seems the more likely option."

"Mother." A voice cut in. Both women turned to find Peeta in the doorway. It was clear he'd heard everything.

His mother paled. She had been trying to get Peeta on side for months, and suddenly he was there, just in time to hear all that?

Johanna had been ready to attack during most of that monologue, but now she gave Peeta a hard look, and he realised she was waiting for him to make a move.  _Something to defend her? No. Something to defend myself._

Peeta held out an arm to Johanna, and she stepped over, smoothly sliding in beside him like they were a young couple in love after all. "Mother, I just came by to say thank you."

"For what?"

"Volunteering." Peeta said, in a voice that spoke of doom. He reached over and took a large loaf off the shelf, putting it into Johanna's hands. In the same moment, Madge came in, with young Rory Hawthorne. Their arrival came just as Peeta looked to the door, and Johanna knew at once Peeta was expecting them. This was planned.

Peeta nudged Johanna, and she realized her cue, handing the loaf to Rory with a big smile. The boy looked so grateful that he didn't seem to believe the loaf was real.

"Madge, I'm so glad you're here." Peeta said brightly. "Could you let your dad,  _the Mayor_ , know that I just closed a deal with my father to buy the Family Bakery for a very good price?"

"You what?" His mother blinked.

Peeta didn't look away from Madge, who was smiling broadly. "Would you let your father know that with the recent good fortune my family has experienced, and given the recent supply problems that the District has been experiencing, we've decided to turn the Bakery into a Soup Kitchen; for those less fortunate. My mother has personally volunteered to feed anyone who comes in here, no charge."

"I what?" His mother blinked again.

Peeta bent down to speak to Rory. "Young mister Hawthorne, you go and tell your siblings and your friends that we have to empty out these shelves quickly, and get some more tables and chairs in here. Have your friends bring bags. All of this food has to go, right away."

Rory's eyes grew big as dinner plates, and the unhealthily-thin boy ran out to tell everyone who could hear him shouting.

"Mrs Mellark, you are indeed a beacon of hope and generosity." Madge said to Peeta's mother with barely restrained glee; heading for the door herself. "I will inform my father right away. He'll want to shout it from the rooftops."

Leaving Peeta with his mother, and Johanna Mason on his arm.

His mother's mouth worked, opening and closing as she fought for words. There was a momentary flash of anger, and she took a lethal step towards her son; in a move that was clearly an old habit. She was going to slap him so hard-

"Oh,  _please_  do try it." Johanna said immediately, with a Cheshire smile, and the older woman settled; the flash in her eyes going dull.

"I don't know what you're upset about, mom." Peeta said calmly. "You wanted me to help restore your good standing with the District. You're about to become one of the most beloved people in town. The sale was legal. The Bakery was still in dad's name. The boys are all happy to have paying work."

"Paying work?" His mother repeated.

"Well, you want to run a shelter in a place like this, you need a Patron." Peeta nodded. "Between me and Haymitch-"

"-and me." Johanna put in swiftly.

"-And Jo, we have enough to cover the cost of your meals, and wages for the full time staff." Peeta nodded, writing a number down swiftly on a piece of paper, sliding it over to his mother. "Speaking of, your salary."

Mrs Mellark looked at it. "It's… It's…"

"Enough to live on." Peeta said evenly. He let the moment hang between them. "I was never afraid of you mom, no matter what you did. I never feared you, never hated you. I just couldn't figure out how, at the age of three or four, I had offended my own mother so much that you hated having me around." He took a breath, which quivered just a tiny bit. "But I understand perfectly now. So I forgive you."

"Thank you." His mother said quietly.

"Oh no, don't think that makes it okay." Peeta spat. "If I had actually died in the Arena, it wouldn't have proven you  _right_. Not about any of it. When you're somebody's mom, it means you have to take that chance on getting your heart busted up. Trust me, there are worse things than to die while being loved and wanted by someone." Peeta looked at Johanna. "Aren't there?"

Johanna looked at him, looked at his mother, and promptly kissed Peeta warmly on the cheek. "There are." She agreed.

The bell over the door ran as a small army of starving children came in with huge, hungry eyes, roaming over the bread and pastry.

* * *

Johanna and Peeta strolled away from the Bakery, arm in arm; pretending not to hear all the people shouting after them, the cheers of gratitude…

"So, how much did your father charge you?" Johanna asked once they were alone.

"A job in the 'Soup Kitchen' for each member of the family, and half-credit coin I happened to have with me." Peeta said without hesitation. "If I had nothing in my pockets but lint, I think he would have taken that." He looked down. "If it had been me, I would have had to 'deal with it' every time a 'Sponsor' placed a bid on me after Tigris. You taught me the preemptive move. It's half the reason you're here."

"Well," Johanna said finally. "I still say burning the place down with her inside would have been far more satisfying, but-"

Peeta spun around and hugged her tightly, then kissed her soundly. Johanna was amazed to see tears in his eyes. It was the first time he had initiated anything physical or intimate, and she let him. When he pulled back, he took a moment to figure out the words. "Nobody has ever defended me before. Not against her. Not my brothers, not my dad… Everyone was too intimidated by her to say anything. You're the first person ever to just… go in there and to be on my side."

Johanna smothered her own sudden emotion. "What you said, that night… About how The Captiol took more from Rue by denying her stories than they did when they denied her food. I just realized. That look on your mom's face just now. Katniss, begging for the pills. This is what they took from you, isn't it? Even before the Reaping, they stole this from you."

Peeta nodded. "Nobody's going to write it in the history books, but they found a way to turn mother against child; at least sometimes. How many ways can they find to starve people?"

_He needs love._  Johanna thought critically.  _He's so starved for it, he'll pine for a girl for most of his life… or even accept me._ "Hey, whatever else is going on, we're allies now; right? The Games don't let us go, so we need to find our own way to fight. I got your back, Little Lamb." Her 'battle-smirk' didn't waver for a second."Of course, I may have to change that nickname now. The look on her face was something else."

"I never would have had the nerve. My father would never have had the nerve. That's because of you." Peeta promised.

_Katniss wouldn't have done that for him._  The thought came to Johanna from a distance.  _Even if Prim hadn't died, Katniss would be too mindful of her own hungry family to risk alienating the Baker's family entirely._

Aloud, she kissed him gently. "Come on." She said sweetly in his ear. "Take me home."

It was the first time she'd called it that. Her whole internal shift had gone unnoticed by Peeta; caught up as he was in his own change of status with his family. In the same movement, Peeta had become a Victor, and Johanna had become…  _What? I can feel it now. Angel's Light._

Johanna suddenly realized she was smiling. Her 'battle-smirk' and her 'celebrity smile' were so practised that she often didn't think about it, but this wasn't even a little bit of an act. She felt… happy.

And if she'd stopped to think about it at all, that would have horrified her.

* * *

But when they got back to Victor's Village, they found someone else waiting for them.

"Dad!" Peeta blurted. "Did I sign the papers wrong?"

"No." His father said, eyes glued to Johanna. "Peeta, can I steal your lady-friend here for a few minutes?"

"...ohboy." Johanna breathed. Facing his mom meant picking a fight with an unlikeable person. Facing his father was going to be something else entirely.

Peeta gave Johanna's hand a reassuring squeeze, and went inside. Johanna nodded politely. "Mister Mellark."

"For starters, you had better call me Walt." He said immediately. "Let's take a walk."

The two of them walked through Victor's Village. Two houses that were occupied, one in good order, the rest falling apart. "Well." Walt said lightly. "I wasn't expecting any of what happened today."

"Neither was your wife." Johanna commented with a shark-smirk.

"Ex-wife, actually." Walt admitted. "It's not official yet, and Peeta doesn't know."

Johanna blinked rapidly. "Really."

Walt nodded. "She walked out during the Games. We didn't make a thing of it, because she was madly trying to restore her reputation first, and obviously, we didn't want the cameras to make a big deal, the way they did about Katniss…"

_So now I'm in on this before Peeta is. And I was worried_ _Peeta_ _was freaking about getting in too deep too fast._  Johanna thought. "During the Interviews." She said aloud. "That story Peeta told, about you and Katniss' mother. It's true, isn't it?"

"Every word." Walt admitted. "Watching her get married was the worst day of my life… and then, I sort of…"

"Got married to a complete shrew on the rebound." Johanna said plainly. "It's not an original story."

"Peeta telling the world about my first love was the final nail in our marriage. Prim telling the world about the day with the bread meant she didn't wait until the Games were over. But I had a house full of sons; and they are amazing. One of them a Victor and a national celebrity." Walt sighed. "I apologize to nobody for my choices. But it would have been nice if I could have picked a girl who would love her own children just a little bit."

"Miste-Walt." Johanna began. "Are we taking this little walk right now because you want me to break the news to Peeta, or because you're worried Peeta's following your path; and gotten stuck with me on the Rebound?"

"It's not a secret that Gale and Katniss have something between them. In another life, if Peeta had the nerve to say something years ago, maybe it would be different." Walt looked at Johanna. "I saw your Games too, Miss Mason. You can play any role you wish to play. You can smile, and cry, and have a knife behind your back the whole time. Yes, I'm worried. Peeta's the only one to ever win a Games without killing anyone. If you ever decided to hurt him in some way..."

"Peeta is, without a doubt, one of a kind." Johanna agreed. "Something like that has to be protected. Or at the very least, valued."

"Do you value my son?" Walt asked carefully. The implication was unspoken.  _Because his mother never valued him, or me._

Johanna measured him swiftly.  _He's like Peeta. Honesty is your only option._  "Something people forget about Victors… Aside from the Career Pack, we were all drafted." Johanna told him. "And… Nobody kind is weak. People who make it their business to be kind in the world? They do it because the world isn't kind. Peeta's had his gentleness used against him. He wonders if killing Cato in cold blood might have saved Prim. But he responded to that by being even kinder. He ain't weak. His kindness is how he fights back. And he fights for it hard."

Walt nodded. "I could never stand up to her, you know." He said regretfully. "My one shame: I could never stand up to my wife. Not even to protect my kids. It took having my youngest son in my corner before I could stand up for myself."

Johanna bit her lip. "Ask you a question?" She said finally. "If you hadn't married her on the rebound, how long would you have waited? Because from what I can see… you're both free again."

* * *

Gale was walking through the Seam, with a loaf of bread under his arm. Rory had told everyone the good news. Gale was on his way to share his good fortune with the Everdeens, when he noticed he wasn't the first person to reach the Everdeen house.

Walt Mellark, the Baker, had come to her door and knocked, looking nervous. Gale quickly scampered to the side, and found an out of sight place to watch from.

Katniss mother answered the door. She looked stunned. "Walt?"

"Can I come in?" He asked, and after a moment, she stepped aside; closing the door behind them.

Gale's jaw dropped. He couldn't wait to tell Katniss.

* * *

Peeta's sale of his paintings had kept the Soup Kitchen supplied; but the entire Seam was lining up with their families. The Mine had reopened, and everyone had volunteered for extra work; desperate for the ration cards. All of it together prevented mass starvation. Not everyone made it, but that was just another Winter in Twelve.

* * *

Gale finally had a free shift and went to the woods. Katniss was there at their usual hunting spot. She was doing pull-ups on a branch. He watched her a moment, then stepped over and said what had been percolating in his mind since his poker game with Peeta. "You told him I was going to start a fight."

"I did." Katniss puffed. "He talk you out of it?"

"He did his best. Enough that I couldn't argue with him." Gale admitted. "But then it occurred to me… Why would you want to put me off?"

"Because I've already had to pull you off the whipping post once?" Katniss dropped to the ground.

"Or maybe because you had another plan? Katniss…" Gale said gently. "You remember all those conversations we had about the Reaping, and how maybe it was rigged?"

"I remember."

"Both our names are in the bowl for another year. Rory's first year coming up…" He looked sideways at Katniss. "Last year, you were nearly catatonic. Now you're… Well, I didn't know what to think of it, until just now. You're in training."

Katniss said nothing.

"And I think I know why." He said softly. "You're seventeen. Ideal Age for a Career."

Katniss didn't look at him. "If I'd gone to the Capitol with Peeta, maybe I'd be a Victor right now, and maybe he'd be dead, but for sure the people who are really to blame for Prim wouldn't be in the Arena. They never are."

"No, they aren't." Gale agreed. "The people who are responsible? They're the people  _Peeta_  can talk to now. He can go to a State Dinner and sit and chat with them. Because he's a Victor. And that's how Victors live."

Katniss said nothing.

"If you wanted to be his date to the Capitol, you missed your chance. If you'd made that connection a year ago…"

Katniss winced. "I'm not that cruel, Gale. You think I'd bat my eyelashes at Peeta just to get on that train? To say nothing of the fact that I'd definitely get him tortured to death if I tried something; succeed or fail. I couldn't do that."

"I know you couldn't. You'd never put that on anyone." Gale nodded. "So, if you  _did_  want to face the people who are responsible for Prim… Even get close enough to  _shake hands_  with President Snow…"

Katniss said nothing; but he could see the twitch. She knew he'd worked it out.

"Only way someone from Twelve gets to do that is if they win the Hunger Games." Gale nodded.

"Yes." Katniss said shortly. "And you can guess why I didn't tell you."

"Because you'd just gotten Peeta to warn me off starting a fight." Gale nodded. "And if I knew I had until Reaping Day to start a war that would keep  _you_  alive; I'd have to… accelerate things. Peeta might even help me if he knew."

"Mm." Katniss scowled. "Gale, if it turns out we're wrong about Johanna; and there's no war being fought? Someone's gotta start one."

Gale actually smiled dangerously at that. The smile vanished quickly as he realized he was a few months from losing her either way.

* * *

Weeks passed, and things settled into a routine. Katniss trained. Gale worked. Peeta tried to feed the whole District. The Peacekeepers lost all discretion. With the new Head Keeper direct from Two breathing down their necks, the guards couldn't look the other way on anything, even if they had before.

Peeta and Johanna stayed at each other's side in public, even while running errands. In private, they were still getting used to the new arrangement. They had started over from 'first date'  _after_  she had effectively moved in. Her house in Victor's Village was ready, right next to his, but it was good for the show if she stayed over every night.

"Hey, Peeta?" Johanna said quietly one morning. "You still have nightmares?"

It was an honest question, so he gave her an honest answer. "Every night."

"You never wake me. Twice now you've come into my room and stayed the rest of the night because I wake up throwing an axe at things that aren't there. Why don't I hear you?"

"My, uh… My nightmare is always the same. That moment, when Prim died. I'm trying to get to her, but I can't, and… Then I wake up, and I still can't move."

"Yeah, but it's not about Prim, is it?"

Peeta looked over. "What do you mean?"

"In your dream. It's not Prim you see, it's Katniss. And you're trying to get to her, but you can't move."

Peeta blinked slowly. "How do you know that?"

"Well, I told you that you never wake me up?" She bared her teeth in what could have been a smile. "But when I sleep in here with you, you always wake me up to check if I'm okay. You're always covered in a cold sweat, and your heart is racing so fast I can hear it myself. You have the dream, you shake me awake and ask if I'm okay."

Peeta stared. "I have no memory of that."

"That's why I asked, loverboy. I honestly don't think you're awake when you talk to me. Because you keep calling me 'Katniss'."

Peeta was aghast. "Really?"

She nodded, matter of factly. "They screwed us up really good, huh?"

Peeta was white as a sheet. "Johanna… you know that I would never-"

She shushed him. "Something's happening here. I don't know what, exactly; but it's not going to stop. We can't 'take things slow', or 'take a step back' because the Capitol, the cameras,  _the District itself_ are all watching our every move. Inside this house, we set our own pace. If I don't have all your heart, that actually makes it easier for me… Because I can't give you all of mine. Not all at once. I wasn't really sure I still had anything left to give, if I'm honest."

Peeta smiled a bit. "A music box still plays beautifully, no matter how long you leave it closed. The heart is the same way."

Johanna shook her head.  _He tosses out poetry like that so easily…_  "When we first met, I thought the bastards were going to eat you alive."

"And now?"

Johanna gave an honest answer before she could think better of it. "They'll have to go through me first."

"Well… We're Victors. With luck, we'll never have to find out."

And then the TV snapped on. They didn't have to activate it, it just came alive with a special announcement.  _"There will be a special Presidential Broadcast tonight at 1900 hours. All citizens are required to watch."_

Peeta felt his heartbeat tick up. "Bad?"

"Reading the Card." Johanna guessed. "Bad."

Peeta shivered. "My first Games as a Mentor; and it's a Quarter Quell. I was not looking forward to it."

"It doesn't get easier." Johanna admitted. "You've still got me and Haymitch. It's not nothing."

"I had less in the Arena."

* * *

That night, the televisions came on, all over Panem. The Capitol Anthem played.

Johanna found that Peeta was holding her hand as Snow came on the screen. The box was brought out, and Snow selected the nearest one. They were numbered carefully.

"They have enough cards for centuries of Games." Peeta scowled.

* * *

Katniss had come to Peeta's house. Gale had delayed his doomed uprising, and she was grateful for it. The dead of winter was not an option for rebellion, or escape to the deep woods.

She had been in the woods herself, and hunting had been scarce enough to drive her back to the fence, and Peeta's kitchen.

_If all our families had to run; we'd starve. I can feed myself in the woods, but there has to be something to hunt._ Katniss thought.  _Peeta saved Gale's life._

She had come to his house to tell him so, and to thank him… And to see if Peeta and Johanna knew about her plan to Volunteer. She could hear his voice coming from his bedroom, and Johanna's answering. Katniss knew not to interrupt; so she stayed downstairs, moving silently through his house like a ghost.

Her usual spot was the kitchen hearth; but as she went, she heard the television snap on. Her house only had one. Victor's Village had at least three per house.

Katniss paused at the kitchen door, watching as Snow opened the card with due ceremony.

Snow's voice, which was fast becoming a sound that turned her stomach, rang out clearly as he read The Card.  _"On the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing pool of victors."_

It took Katniss a few moments to process what that meant. District Twelve only had two Victors. Peeta and Haymitch. Johanna had gotten there just in time to give the District a female Victor.

_Snow's putting Johanna and Peeta back in the Arena._

Katniss swallowed a sudden lump in her throat and her feet were moving before she was aware of it. The homicidal screech rang out before she made it halfway up the stairs. She sprinted to the master bedroom, just in time to see one of Johanna's throwing axes slam into the screen. Johanna stormed out of the room, eyes blazing. She swept past Katniss instantly, not even registering her.

Katniss went into the room anyway and found Peeta, staring at the dead screen blankly. "Run." She told him. "I can take you to the woods. The lake is the boundary of what I know, but there's an old logging cabin out there that my father used to take me to. Run. I can teach you how to survive."

"Katniss, think for a second. A load of Peacekeepers came in with Jo and me on the train." Peeta said logically. "They've been regular customers in my family bakery since they arrived. Why do you suppose they picked that spot? I run, and..."

"Who cares? Your family has been horrible to you. They don't deserve you. Ditch them and stay alive. Just... stay alive, please?" Even as she said it, she knew it was a lie.  _After all, didn't I come here today because the dead of winter is hard to hunt through?_

Peeta sighed hard. "It was always going to end this way, Katniss. Victors never die of old age."

This was true. At least once a year there were rumors of Victors having public gaffes, long stints in rehab; failed suicide attempts… The Capitol always patched them up and made them perform again.

_And that will be Peeta's life._ Katniss thought, the realization hit her like a ton of bricks for the first time.  _With or without me; survive or lose the Quell… He'll never be free of the Arena._

Long silence.

"I never came to see you, after the Bread; because I couldn't pay you back. I feared I would live in your debt forever." Katniss said softly. "I know you would have traded places with Prim in a heartbeat, and that's a debt I'll never pay off. I can't save you, Peeta. I can't…"

"I know." He said, not looking at her. "Tell me honestly: If things had been different, what kind of odds would you have given you and me?"

"I have no idea." She admitted. "It's not fair, but fairness has nothing to do with our lives." She straightened her back like she was about to march into battle. "Go to Johanna. I don't think it should matter, but if it makes a difference: you have my blessing. A Victor's Life needs another Victor; and that's what she is. Have three months full of love and affection and marathon make-outs and a warm bed instead of cold-sweat nightmares. You're very good at making goodness grow out of dust and stone. I don't know where it comes from, but I hope it never dies in you."

Peeta finally turned to face her. "Katniss…" He drew her name over three syllables again, like the sound of her name was some wonderful flavor to be savored.

Katniss kissed him before he could speak. It wasn't passionate; it was sad; and it was over in less time than it took Peeta to realize what it meant.

Peeta stared at her. "This is goodbye, isn't it?" He breathed. "You're leaving."

"Peeta, I can't stay here anymore." She said seriously. "This? I can't watch this happen again. I just can't do it twice. It will break me to watch you go back in the Arena. I'm sorry that you have to, but you've always had the stronger heart."

"Tell you the truth, it doesn't feel like it." Peeta laughed bitterly. "I won't let your mom go hungry. Gale and his siblings either. Y'know, if that still matters to you at all."

Katniss winced at the suggestion and turned to go. "Good luck, Storyteller."

* * *

She made it to the backdoor in the kitchen, and found every cabinet and cupboard open, with Johanna rummaging through them. "He really doesn't have any booze in here, does he?"

"I was going to Volunteer." Katniss said roughly.

Johanna stood upright so fast Katniss jumped back. The Victor looked at the Mockingjay, and saw that she was deadly serious. "Okay." She said softly. "Come take a walk with me. Outside."

* * *

"If you think the house is bugged, we've already given them enough to hang us all."

"They  _are_  hanging me. I'm going back in the $%& #^ Arena." Johanna told her. "And the house  _is_  bugged; we pull half a dozen listening devices outta there every week. I took the conversation out here because we're about to discuss some things that I haven't told Peeta yet."

"Oh." Katniss looked down.

"You were going to volunteer?"

"If I could win, I'd get close enough to kill Snow." Katniss rasped; her voice was changed. Made harsher, colder.

Johanna couldn't help the wry smirk. "I had the same thought, once. Trust me; even your reflexes ain't that fast." She slumped a bit. "But I guess it doesn't matter anymore."

"Guess not." Katniss growled. "I want in. Whatever you're hinting at, whatever 'cell group' you're part of; I need to be in the middle of it."

Johanna scowled. "The thing about building a Resistance is that the only way it wins, is if it's a sure thing before they know we exist." She looked over at Katniss. "That's why Peeta had to keep Gale from trying anything. And it's why I wanted to see you shoot. I was recruiting you." She shook her head slowly. "All our plans just got thrown out the window."

"Mine too." Katniss said grimly. "I've been practising my 'pleasure to meet you, President Snow' face for weeks, and now I'll never get to use it." She turned back to Johanna. "But since we can't do that, consider me recruited. Tell me where to go, Johanna."

Johanna made one last look around. "District Thirteen survived."

Katniss jerked like she'd been slapped. "They were right?"

Johanna's eyes flashed. "They who?"

Katniss bit her lip and finally decided to tell Johanna everything. "When I was a kid, my father showed me an old cabin out past the fence. It's barely holding together, but it's where I've been shacking up whenever I'm not here. When the snowstorms got bad, I met people there. Two kids out of Seven. They thought the footage of Thirteen was faked, so they decided to run there; cross-country. They figured if the Capitol was keeping something hidden, it must be something good. That's where I was when the winter got bad. I was teaching them how to hunt and navigate through the snow."

Johanna looked around one more time. "Okay. You follow the border between Twelve and the Quarantine Zone. There's a river about sixty miles past the fence. You won't miss it, because it mostly runs parallel to the border. If you can make a raft or something, it'll help; because the river goes a  _long_  way. Follow it downstream; that'll take you to the ruins. I haven't been there, but I'm told they moved underground. The complex is another two miles east of the burned out Justice Building you see in the vids. Look for a mountainside with a forest on top of it. They'll find you."

Katniss nodded and repeated it back, committing the directions to memory.

Johanna chewed her lip. "You can stay and fight." She said seriously. "It's a hell of a hike, Katniss. You can survive the wild, but it'll take a lot of luck. What kind of luck do we usually have?"

"I know. But I have to do something. Something I know how to do."

"What about Gale?" Johanna asked pointedly.

Katniss took a shuddering breath. "I don't want to leave him, but he can't come without half a dozen others, and I can't wait for Spring."

Johanna nodded. "I'll handle it."

Katniss' eyebrows lifted to her hairline. "You'll  _handle_  Gale?"

"You can be jealous, or you can be possessive. You can't be both if you're leaving."

"No." Katniss admitted. "If you wanna get drunk, Haymitch always has enough to sink a ship."

* * *

Peeta came looking for Johanna almost immediately. He found her at the door to Haymitch's house. "Jo!"

She turned, and pulled him inside. "Whenever you've asked me what was really going on, I always told you: One thing at a time."

Peeta nodded. "We don't have time to do one thing at a time anymore."

"No." Johanna agreed. "Come in. I'll tell you everything; and then I plan to get very drunk. I invite you to join me for both."

* * *

Gale got the news as soon as his shift ended at the Mine. He sprinted the entire length of the town; until he reached Victor's Village. He came to the fence, and found Peeta waiting for him. The look on his face was enough; and Gale stopped running, bent double from the exertion. Peeta said nothing as he gasped, letting him recover his breath.

"She's gone, isn't she?" Gale asked. It wasn't really a question. "She didn't even say goodbye!"

"I know." Peeta sighed. "Gale, as much as we wish otherwise… Johanna, Katniss, Me… We're more memories than people now. Just us and our ghosts."

Gale scowled. "Look, I heard the announcement, obviously… What… How are you going to…" He hissed at nothing. "I don't even know how to ask the question."

"Come take a walk with me, Gale." Peeta said with a hard sigh.

The two men walked for a while, leaving other buildings far behind. Gale wasn't the only one looking for Peeta. He was a hero in the District. The family Soup Kitchen had been the only thing keeping the Seam fed through the blizzards. But eventually, they had privacy enough to talk.

"I shouldn't have listened to you." Gale said quietly. "I should have started the damn uprising a month ago like I planned."

"You would have failed." Peeta said quietly. "I've been to the Capitol, Gale. The whole country is a life support mechanism for it; and we can't win that way. Snow would have killed you a dozen times, and the hammer would have come down a whole lot harder the next day."

"So what else is there?" Gale demanded, and the frustration was a living thing in his snarl. "Because we can't keep living like this!"

Peeta knew the frustration well. It was his entire life, now. "I need a favor, Gale."

"Not sure what I can do for you at this point, but name it."

Peeta let out a breath, very slowly. "If I told you there was a way to make it stop, would you want to know it? Given the certain death and destruction you'll be risking?"

"Katniss is out of the District. My family faces starvation by inches; to say nothing of the Reaping. I don't seem to have a lot to lose."

"I thought that way once. Trust me, you've got plenty to lose." Peeta sighed. "But I don't have a lot of choice. I've got a few months until the Reaping; and the odds are barely a factor. You're safe. By the  _next_  Games, you'll be nineteen; out of danger. This is a blessing for you, really. You and everyone your age. If you want to-"

"I'm in." Gale said immediately.

Peeta smiled. "I knew you would be. Come over tomorrow night. Dinner with me and Johanna. Right now, she's finding absolution at the bottom of a bottle with Haymitch. Tomorrow we'll be training. We'll talk a little about the death of kings, toast each other's certain doom; and make a few plans."

"Sounds like a fun evening." Gale agreed. "If you're serious about training…"

"We'll need you. Anyone else who can teach us something useful, too."

Gale shook his head. "She just took off." It wasn't often Gale spoke disdainfully about Katniss, but for now it was clear on his face. "She just took off, and left you to… If she could have taught you even a fraction of what she knew before she left…"

"Katniss… is gone." Peeta said softly. "She left us both; and she's not coming back this time." He looked at Gale. "Y'know, it would have been easier if I didn't like you."

Gale smirked. "I made the same point to her, once or twice. My mom says you and I would have been good friends, if we'd never met Katniss."

"Almost certainly." Peeta agreed. "So, with her gone… Do you think we can still be allies?"

"Got news for you, Storyteller; we've been allies since you sat down at the Poker Table." Gale sighed hard. "And starting tomorrow night; I'm your Mentor, too." He took in an emotional breath. "I'll teach you well, I promise. All of you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: About halfway through Catching Fire, Katniss took it into her head to start an uprising in Twelve, in the dead of winter; but the plan never got off the ground. In this fic, without her 'status' as a Victor, her plan went a lot smaller, to get herself to the Capitol. It's no secret that Johanna was planning to recruit Katniss into the Resistance.
> 
> Also, in the canon, the story about Peeta getting beaten by his Mom was never public knowledge until the third book. In this fic, Prim was the Tribute, and she told the story early. Mother Mellark was never seen or mentioned again in canon; but I figured Johanna wouldn't look the other way.
> 
> When I wrote the Reading of the Card twist, I had to answer two questions that were never made clear in the books or movies:
> 
> 1) Was the Quarter Quell purely a response to the Mockingjay? The movies suggested yes, the books barely hinted. If it was to target the Victors, then I needed a reason. Having Jo move to Twelve, having the actions of the Victor's getting scrutinised; wondering if there was another reason? That did the same job for this fic.
> 
> 2) When was Haymitch recruited? The movies made it seem like he had no idea this Quarter Quell twist was coming. So it would stand to reason that Haymitch wasn't part of the Resistance until the Second Games. In this fic, Jo and Haymitch were more in on it than Peeta was (Until now, at least) so I wanted the Card to take them both completely by surprise. All of the player's plans for their own endgame get overturned by The Capitol's move; which was Snow's whole goal here.


	11. "There's A War Going On."

There was an interval of a few months, between Reading the Card, and the Reaping. In that time, the District Twelve Team trained hard; living like careers. Peeta had sunk every bit of money and food he had into arranging teachers, survivalists, and anyone else who could help. Mama Everdeen put them on a diet that only a Victor could actually afford; and they all put on muscle.

Peeta had started their training by pouring every drop of booze Haymitch possessed down the drain, and paying off every brewer in the District to cut him off. Haymitch had made a legitimate attempt to kill Peeta for it every other week; but Peeta had learned enough hand-to-hand from Johanna to handle Haymitch, at least while he was drying out.

Johanna hadn't so much as given Peeta a saucy look since the announcement, but if she was trying to get a little distance from him, or just repressing the emotions, Peeta couldn't say. He was glad for it, focusing on pure survival for the first time in his life.

They'd tracked down Peeta's old wrestling teacher; and Johanna had bribed one of the Peacekeepers for hand-to-hand training. She had never stopped her combat training; but Peeta needed to learn more than wrestling. Every Tribute in the next Arena knew each other's skill sets. Johanna taught Peeta how to throw knives and axes, Gale taught everything he knew about Archery and bushcraft; Peeta gave wrestling and camouflage lessons. None of them were able to properly master each other's primary skills, but it was better than nothing.

For all they had been through, Johanna and Peeta were both young enough to be at their peak. Haymitch was older, larger, and cold sober for the first time in decades. Solidly built, and nursing a serious grudge, Haymitch had no problem sparring.

And Johanna was surprised to discover that Peeta was throwing himself into the sparring matches with some ferocity. More than she had seen from him before. Even in the school wrestling competitions, Peeta had deliberately been holding back. He wasn't anymore.

And with three days until the Reaping, Johanna knew why.

* * *

"He's going to volunteer, isn't he?" Johanna said quietly.

"I think he is." Haymitch nodded, not liking it either.

Johanna looked sick. "Ever since I got here, I've been telling him that he can't stop some poor kid being dragged into the Arena, no matter how much he punishes himself. It now seems that he can, after all."

"And if he dies in there, he won't have to Mentor anyone. Ever." Haymitch agreed. "To Peeta, that's a win."

"When I first met Peeta… I did my best to shock him, put him on the back foot… He blushed so easily. I thought to myself: This kid is never going to survive his first year as a Victor. I knew on the spot that they'd chew him up and  _$#!^_  him out." She looked at Haymitch. "Dice are rolling, Haymitch. Peeta moved the needle more in a year than we have in a lifetime. We have very carefully made sure Snow thinks I'm the one that's up to something, but..." She met his gaze. "You get where I'm going with this, right?"

"You're sounding awfully sure that I want him to live." Haymitch said sourly. "I haven't had a drink in two months because of that choir boy."

"Yes you have, you're just better at hiding it. Haymitch; do you know what I see when I look at you?" Johanna asked him harshly. "Myself. Twenty years from now, if things don't change; the best I can hope for is to be like you. Alone with my vices, sleeping with a weapon in each hand; and trying not to think about the fact that every year, I'm going to escort two new kids to the slaughter… and actually being jealous of them when they don't come back." She tilted her head back towards Victor's Village. "When I'm with Peeta, I see just the smallest glimpse of something nicer than that. We both know better: Nobody wins the Games. We can only survive them."

"Time was we thought that was good enough." Haymitch said roughly.

"And now even that's not allowed any more." Johanna spat thickly. "So you're going to volunteer. Talk to Effie. Get her on side. If she calls for Volunteers unexpectedly, and you're ready for it; then Peeta won't be able to volunteer ahead of you."

Haymitch hesitated. "Johanna, volunteering might save his life, but  _we're_  the ones that survived. Do you really want Peeta to turn out like us?"

"...no." She conceded. "But I want him to die even less. I can threaten your life if it'll make you feel better about saying yes." Johanna added. "I'll even follow through. And I'd feel really good about it."

"You would, at that. But that's not the problem." Haymitch glanced over his shoulder again. "Jo, listen… I heard from 'Her Highness'. Our orders are to make sure Peeta goes into the Arena."

"What!?" Johanna hissed in disbelief. "We told her that Peeta's the best bet to rouse an uprising in the Capitol. Not the Districts; the Capitol!"

"I know we did; but Thirteen feels that the best bet for that is if he's on stage. The Interviews, the Arena; the cameras; the audience… She wants the show; with Peeta front and centre."

Johanna bit her lip. "No." She said seriously. "He'll never survive an Arena full of Victors. Playing rabid animals like Cato is one thing, but against seasoned killers, who aren't caught up in 'the glory'? This order we can't follow."

"What, the Underground no longer suits you?" Haymitch mocked. "Man, you're willing to defy Snow and  _Her,_  at the same time. Peeta must be one hell of a lay."

Johanna hauled off and punched Haymitch hard enough to put him down on his back. "Be nice to me, ya dumb Drunk. I'm your only confirmed ally when we get into that Arena."

Haymitch groaned and fought his way upright. "Look, serious talk: She won't like it if you go against her. And your life, my life; _and Peeta's_  all depend on her goodwill right now."

Johanna nodded. "I know… Look, Peeta said something to me during the Angel's Light Tour that kind of stuck in my ear." She said quietly. "He said: If the Rebels are fighting the Capitol, why are they using the Capitol playbook to recruit allies?"

Haymitch said nothing to that.

"I know she won't like it." Johanna finished. "I don't care. She can't have him either."

* * *

"I don't understand." Effie said blankly.

"That may be the understatement of your life, Effie." Haymitch said nicely. "But it changes nothing. I need you to do this. When the moment comes to call for volunteers, you scratch behind your ear; so that I know it's coming. I'll have volunteered before you can get the question out."

"But why?" Effie demanded. "You think Peeta will want to protect Johanna?"

"I'm sure he will. Which is why I have to get there first. Because Johanna and I have to protect him." Haymitch's tone was very gentle and methodical, as though explaining a simple concept to a small child.

Effie hesitated. "Haymitch… How long have we known each other? I… I'm not popular, in the District. Most people don't like my job. But as much as we don't get on, Haymitch Abernathy: You and I have known each other more than half our lives. I… I don't want you to go back in the Arena. You'd be up against people half your age… And against people you  _know_!"

"Yes." Haymitch agreed. "Effie, every year, I stay sober for two weeks. Those are the two weeks when I need to put everything into bringing a kid home. Twenty four attempts, one success. And now I'm going to lose him anyway, unless you and I make an Alliance, right here."

"I must say, it's awfully inconsiderate, this new twist. I would even say it's unfair!" Effie nodded primly.

It took all of Haymitch's strength not to shake his head at her. "Right. And we can't have that, can we?"

* * *

The entire District turned out for the Reaping. The three Victors lined up on the stage; Johanna to the left, Peeta and Haymitch to the right. There was a long line of Peacekeepers with machine guns between the stage and the crowd.

Effie shuffled on-stage, done up in bright gold colors. The reading of the official statement happened; plus the standard video of Snow and the Capitol Anthem; with the recitation of the history of the Games.

Johanna noticed the little look between Effie and Haymitch, and let herself take a breath.

Effie stepped forward. "First, our Female Tribute. Are there any Volunteers?"

Johanna rolled her eyes. "To avoid the suspense, I volunteer as Tribute." She drawled.

Effie couldn't meet her eyes. "Our female Tribute, Johanna Mason."

For the first time, Effie didn't call for a round of applause; and there was dead silence from the District.

"And now for the men." Effie cleared her throat, and tugged one of her curls back. If you hadn't been watching for it, you wouldn't have noticed the gesture. "Do we-"

"I volunteer as Tribute!" Haymitch and Peeta both said instantly. Even Johanna, as desperate as she was, couldn't tell who got there first.  _Peeta was waiting for the chance. Did he know what I was planning?_

As MC, only Effie had the right to make the ruling. "Our Male Tribute, Haymitch Abernathy!"

Peeta sent Effie an outraged look. Effie deliberately didn't look at him. "I think that's the first time in District Twelve History with two Volunteers. District Twelve, your Tributes!"

Nobody clapped. Dead silence from the crowd. And then, starting somewhere in the back, and spreading almost instantly, everyone in the audience sat down deliberately on the ground. The guards shifted, looking around awkwardly. It was an act of defiance, but it had spread so fast, and from the rear of the crowd, nobody knew who had done it first.

Not that it mattered. It had to be planned. But they were all just sitting down, so the guards couldn't call it a riot. It was the same pose as the Sit-Downs in other Districts.

Then, in the front row, one man deliberately raised a hand, giving Prim's Three Finger salute.

It was a gesture taken up by the rest of the crowd quickly, but Peeta could tell this one was improvised. Improvised enough by one man that the Guards knew exactly who had started this part.

Rough hands grabbed Peeta by the arms and hauled him back towards the train. Other guards pushed forward through the people sitting on the ground, heading for the first man to Salute. Peeta craned his neck, but couldn't see who it was.

The gunshot rang out just as the doors to the Justice Building closed between them.

* * *

The train started moving. Dead silence as the Avox laid the table, and retreated. Peeta gave Johanna a few hooded looks, and she looked back coolly. Peeta looked to Effie, then to Johanna, then up at the walls. The two of them were fast developing their own unspoken language. She knew what he was asking, and gave a nod. It was safe to talk in the Train. But there were still servants about.

Haymitch went to the table, took the biggest bottle of purest liquor he could find, and went to his room without a word. He was going in the Arena. Peeta could demand nothing of him now; least of all sobriety.

"Did you know him?" Johanna asked quietly when the Avox departed. "Whoever that guy was?"

"No." Peeta admitted. "How can he do that, when he doesn't even know me?"

"Oh, he knew you. More importantly, he knew what you stood for." Johanna said. "Hollow comfort, right now. But he knew what he was saluting, and it was more than just you, Storyteller."

Peeta had other things on his mind. "I was there, Effie." Peeta said quietly. "Why did you give it to Haymitch?"

Effie wouldn't look at him. "Because."

"Come on."

Johanna put herself in the conversation. "Because of me. Yes, Haymitch and I got to her days ago. We told her-"

"That's not why!" Effie said quickly, almost vibrating with... something. "It's because… Because this is…" She looked genuinely flummoxed by whatever she was stuck on; like the word she searched for was in another language.

Peeta and Johanna traded a look. Something was shifting in Effie. "Finish that sentence." She told Effie seriously. "We'll wait."

"It's… This is… WRONG!" Effie clapped both hands over her mouth, shocked at what she had just said. "It's wrong." She squeaked. Then she burst out into giggles; like she'd just been given a shock from a joybuzzer. "Oh my."

Peeta just stared at her. "You've been an escort for as long as I've been alive, Effie. You take two kids to the Capitol every year, and it suddenly dawns on you now?"

Effie was still covering her mouth with both hands, but she nodded compulsively. "You were the first, Peeta. My only Victor. The only… The only one that…"

"The only one that you had to see again." Johanna finished for her. "The only one you had to think of like real people."

"Ohmigod, I'm a bad person!" Effie realized.

Johanna squeezed Effie's hand. "No more than any other Capitol Citizen, goldilocks."

"Yeah." Peeta said, as though something had just dawned on him. "Yeah! Actually, yeah!"

Johanna looked at him. "I can't tell what you're thinking right now; but that tone usually means it's something good."

"Snow once said to me that Seneca Crane was killed, because he made the mistake most people in his job made: He thought of the Games as a Television Show." He looked hard at Johanna. "But Snow made the same mistake, didn't he? If it wasn't all a show, he wouldn't have made us such celebrities."

Johanna realized instantly. "And if someone like Effie, or a Capitol citizen, can live with the killing every year by not thinking of us as 'real people' all that time... How would they react, when it was someone they cared about, going into the Arena?"

Peeta looked at her sideways. "You tell me, Jo. They're people you care about too."

It took a few moments for Johanna to realize what that meant.

* * *

"Finnick." Johanna sighed hard. "Well, I guess that was inevitable. They want you, they get you. Even in a 'random' draw."

Effie didn't speak to that, but pointed at the image. "The really surprising part came after."

"Mags volunteered!?" Johanna was stunned; and more than a little aghast.

"Four doesn't have a lot of female tributes. Annie was already going to pieces, just being on stage." Haymitch groaned around his hangover. "Smart money says they pulled the same trick we did; picking their own 'sacrifice' before it got that far."

"Mags." Peeta said, studying the screen. "The oldest Victor in the lineup."

"Finnick's going to lose his mind." Johanna said mournfully. "Mags practically raised him."

"Still easier than if it was Annie." Peeta commented.

Haymitch's eyebrows lifted into his thinning hair. "You know about that?"

Peeta was still staring at Mags. "A Victor who actually made it to old age. All the things she must know..."

"Experience is a double-edged sword in the Arena. When it comes, I hope it's quick. She's a real sweetheart." Haymitch yawned.

"Not what I mean." Peeta said absently. "Mags is in her eighties. There have only been Seventy-Four Games. She lived in a world before The Arena."

Johanna felt a sudden shudder. It was easy to forget there was a time  _before_  the Hunger Games.

Effie showed them the other Reapings. Johanna was carefully quiet when District Seven came up. "I was the only female Victor from there, too. Seven sends only one."

"It was Blight." Effie told her, not bothering to let it drag out.

"You know him well?" Peeta asked.

"Not as well as he'd like." Johanna commented, with a raised eyebrow.

Haymitch let out a wail when Chaff's name was called. He tilted the bottle back so fast it was spilling out of his mouth as he gulped desperately at his painkiller of choice. The bottle was empty too fast, and he threw himself at another, overturning the liquor cart in his haste to keep guzzling. Bottles smashed, and liquor spilled everywhere. Haymitch was almost desperate enough to suck it from the carpet.

Peeta sighed for him in open sympathy. Chaff and Haymitch were old friends. A friendship based on drinking heavily, but there wasn't much else to Haymitch.

* * *

Cinna was waiting for them as they arrived at their suite. "Miss Mason."

"Cinna." Johanna was surprised. "You decided to stick with District Twelve for another games?"

"I did." Cinna nodded. "I'm afraid you're the 'new guy' in this team." He went over to his style team, including Portia, who was already taking Peeta's measurements. "Peeta specifically asked that we prep you and Haymitch together for the Parade, and the Interviews. It's not unprecedented, but it's unusual."

"An arena full of Victors, there's going to be a lot of things happening differently." Johanna agreed.

"Could be he just wants to spend more time with you." Cinna smirked.

Johanna pulled out her pendant. "Maybe."

Cinna looked at it critically. "You still have that?"

"I told my people back in Seven that it was the first thing Peeta ever gave me." She looked to Cinna. "It started out as the Rebel symbol. Now it's a symbol for Prim. Death of innocence in the Arena. The whole country saw that moment Prim gave it to Peeta. They keep playing that clip of him giving it back to her sister."

Cinna lowered his voice. "I see it on some of the more popular Television Shows. Passing the Mockingjay is sort of a symbol for honoring a loss, and loving the lost one."

"Lot of lost loves in the Capitol." Johanna admitted. "I can think of a dozen people who mourn a loss. If they all pick a common symbol…"

Cinna was already seeing possibilities. "You're allowed a token. You sure you want it to be Prim's symbol?"

"It's not just hers anymore." Johanna fingered the pendant. "And I keep telling people it was a gift from Peeta..."

"A woman in love would want to keep that close." Cinna agreed.

* * *

"Peeta's idea of a gift." Johanna commented to Haymitch as they lined up for the Parade. "I really loved Cinna's work last year. Even before all this, I was hoping he'd start a label. I'd love to have worn Prim's firey outfit last year." She gave Haymitch a watery smile. "Well, I got my wish. Cinna's most exclusive work."

"Mm." Haymitch looked decidedly nervous. "Flames again. Cinna insists the fire is fake; but of the two of us, I think we both know who's the most flammable."

"Wouldn't that be a show?" A voice smirked.

Johanna spun. "Finnick." She hugged him. In close, she whispered in his ear. "I guess we weren't convincing enough. Putting me with Peeta was too much to believe."

"Not sure." He whispered back. "My 'friends' say the Card Box wasn't tampered with by any of Snow's people. It could just be coincidence."

She pushed it too far, but couldn't help but tell him. "Peeta thinks it's an opportunity. Victors are the only District-Born that the Capitol Audience cares about."

"My 'friends' say he's right." Finnick whispered back, and they broke the hug. "Well. I always wondered which of us would win a fight, sexy lady."

Johanna barked out a laugh. "I think we both know who the winners are in the Arena."

* * *

Part of their training was studying other Victors. Johanna knew them personally; but she hadn't followed their Games as closely as the Audience did. It had meant long hours on a comfortable couch.

Peeta held out an arm as they watched the coverage; and she didn't hesitate to slide over and curl up close. Knowing he wasn't going to be in the Arena had made her far more comfortable around him again. She had no idea what he was feeling, but he would not deny her comfort. "Cinna's the only one of my Prep team who wasn't bawling their eyes out." Johanna said to him quietly. "They've known me for years, except for Cinna and Portia. Haymitch hasn't been on the 'society' list for almost twenty years. I don't think he's combed his hair in that long. Cinna requested to stay with District Twelve. I was amazed to find his whole team were my usual stylists from Seven." She poked his side a little. "That was you, wasn't it?"

"I may have asked the Gamemakers." Peeta confirmed. "The plan only works if the people around us in the Capitol are invested in our survival. I'm a stranger to the Mentors. The fewer strangers we have-"

"Liar. The familiar faces were a gift." She cut him off. "They're not exactly friends, but they've been in my foxhole since my first Games. It was good to have them on side again." She snuggled in tightly. "Even if just for a little while."

There was a quiet knock at the door. It was Effie. "Johanna, may I borrow him for a few minutes, please?"

The younger woman nodded, and Peeta slid out from under her on the couch. Peeta looked at Effie, and read her face instantly. He covered his lips with one finger, and gestured for her to follow him to the elevator.

* * *

"We can talk up here." He said once they arrived at the roof. "Back in Victor's Village, Jo and I pull the listening devices out and toss them in the fireplace twice a week." He turned to Effie. "What's on your mind?"

"I have been doing a great deal of thinking." Effie said seriously. "My little breakdown, on the train, about how this is wrong? You were right. I never thought of 'right' and 'wrong' at all, because I never knew any of the Tributes."

Peeta snapped his fingers hard at her.

"Any of the… the children." Effie corrected herself. "And…" Her voice was very shaky. "And when I suddenly realized how very wrong this was, it changed my world view somewhat."

"Keep going."

Effie pulled out a small notepad, and held it in both hands, close to her chest. "I've been making some careful notes. With my new viewpoint, that the Games are  _wrong…_  I suddenly… noticed."

"Noticed?" Peeta was almost smiling.

"That many  _many_  things are wrong." Effie confessed. "There is something terribly,  _terribly_  wrong with the world, Peeta. And the people whose job it is to fix it? They're the ones who are throwing Johanna and Haymitch back in the Arena!"

"Yes." Peeta nodded.

Effie sniffed. "I always knew that the Dark Days were bad. Bad enough to think that what we've got is the best we can get… But now I'm noticing things." She opened the small notebook, clutching it tightly with both hands. "The coverage of the Reaping in Twelve is very inaccurate. They don't cover the sit-down at all; and in other Districts they ignored the Tributes who volunteer for their friends; the way Haymitch did."

Peeta nodded. "Keep going."

"The Tesserae back home has been rotten for most of the kids since last winter; and it's not supply problems, because the Peacekeeper rations are fine. And there are a lot more Peacekeepers than usual, who are all armed with machine guns, instead of batons." Effie said quietly. "I've seen their Mess Hall a dozen times, and it didn't register until now. People are starving in the Districts. Tribute fami-"

Peeta snapped his fingers hard at her.

"Families with children." Effie corrected herself. "They need three times the normal amount of Tesserae to get the same amount of edible food. And if the Keepers eat fine, then it's deliberate in the Tesserae. They are  _starving_  families into putting more names in the Bowl!"

Peeta nodded. "Keep going."

Effie flipped through her notebook. "The stockades. The whipping post. They hadn't bothered with these things for years, until you won your Games. The… the executions have been… somewhat frequent. The whippings much more frequent. But the people spared a bullet? They're usually strong workers. The whip puts them back into the mines. I saw one man shot for stealing food, and he was too weak to stand upright at the firing squad. Nobody who can work has faced the same penalty."

"And with all you've suddenly noticed, what are your conclusions?" Peeta challenged.

Effie licked her lips, like this was the hardest puzzle she'd ever had to solve. "There is mass propaganda. Starvation is being used as a tactic for a Life and Death Tournament that is aired nationwide; even when TV's are turned off. There are executions and mutilated bodies for public display. And there are more soldiers with machine guns walking around the streets of Twelve than there are  _citizens_  of Twelve willing to leave their homes; even to run errands." She lowered her voice. "Peeta, I've been thinking about it for two days, and I think I figured it out: There's a  _war_  going on."

"Yes, there is." Peeta confirmed. "There's a war going on, and it is  _raging_." Peeta actually laughed. "Effie, it took you long enough, but you got there." He gave her a hug.

"I wish I didn't. I was so much happier before." Effie admitted when he broke the hug. "How can there be a war happening and I  _didn't notice_?"

"Same way  _nobody_  in the Capitol notices." Peeta told her. "In your head, you've always been Capitol-Born, Effie. You wanted it so bad that you painted yourself six different colors. In the Capitol, you'd fit right in; and in Twelve, you were a circus clown; but you wanted to fit in with people on the far side of the country." He grinned. "Welcome back to the Districts, at last."

Effie was wringing her hands. "But now that I see the battle, I see it  _everywhere_! What do I do with this information?"

Peeta measured her. "You sure you want to know the answer to that?"

Looking about five years old, she nodded.

"The Dark Days haven't really ended. Not for anyone who doesn't live here in the Capitol. The war is still going, but only one side can realistically put up a fight." Peeta took a breath. "So we have to change that. Because nobody else will."

Effie trembled. "Ohhh, next year's Hunger Games are going to be one for the books, aren't they?"

"Very possible." Peeta admitted. "Unless this year is the last one."

He was to let that be the last word; and he turned to go back to the elevators; when Effie caught his hand. "I told them. About you and Johanna."

Peeta froze. "Told them what?"

"Peeta, during my first Games, one the Stylists from District Two was caught 'having relations' with her Tribute, and he won that year. So I was a little leery about your 'wholesome' image being hit with a walking scandal like Mason…" Effie started talking very fast. "The whole country thought she'd moved in with you; and I didn't understand it; because that kind of 'whirlwind romance' was kinda out of character for you. Johanna has something of a reputation, and I was your Escort long before she came along…" She looked terrified. "Now that I know the Game you're playing, you need to know that I might have done something stupid."

"What did you tell them, Effie?!" Peeta was worried now.

"I report to the Liaison Committee. I told my superior that she was sleeping in your guestroom. The Gamemakers know your romance with her is… Different than what it looks like on television." She looked near tears. "I was trying to protect you."

* * *

Johanna was in her room when Peeta returned. Without a word, he went over to her things and found the Jammer, hitting the button. "How long?"

Johanna sat up. "About two minutes."

"Effie's on board." Peeta reported quickly. "But she rumbled the fact that you moved into the guestroom. She told them what she knew."

"She knew more than the rest of the country. But she didn't know the whole truth." Johanna thought aloud. "If The Capitol thinks I jumped from Seven to Twelve because they were closing in, then that alone could justify why they picked Victors for the Quarter Quell."

Peeta nodded. "That was my thinking."

Johanna winced. "Peeta… Snow was the one that asked me to 'educate' you on your new life. Including being rented out to socialites. He came to see you in Twelve; and the first thing he did on your Victory Tour was make sure you weren't a 'problem'. If he's looking for schemes, it might be enough right there."

"You think The Capitol will decide our relationship is fake." Peeta reasoned. "But they'll figure I went into it to keep from getting sold off; and you went into it to get away from their suspicions in Seven."

"It's even the truth, as far as it goes. If the Capitol thinks we don't actually care about each other at all, it might save you... when the Games are over." Johanna smirked. "Effie's puritan streak may have saved at least one of our lives." She gestured at the jammer. "Turn that off and get some sleep. Work starts tomorrow."

"Starts." Peeta scoffed and did so.

"So, what did Effie want?" Johanna said for the benefit of the microphones.

"She wanted to tell me more about the other Mentors." Peeta played along, kicking his shoes off and climbing in next to her. "She doesn't know them well, but… Haymitch is the one they usually talked to; and he'll be in the Arena. Heck a time for me to learn on the job."

"You'll win'em over, babe." Johanna promised. "You just have to play it smart."

* * *

"So. Figured out how stupid you were yet?" Haymitch asked the next day at lunch.

It had been a long morning. The Tributes had begun their training. Peeta had made his first real effort to get to know the other Mentors. They had not been accommodating.

"The other Mentors don't know me." Peeta admitted. "They don't know me, most of them don't like you, and they don't trust Johanna since she jumped Districts."

"Seven is trying to decide if she knew this was coming; and decided to trade up on Allies." Haymitch nodded. "You have to win them over fast, kid." He turned Peeta around and pushed the boy towards the elevators. "You don't eat here. You're a Mentor now. You eat with Mentors. Win them over."

Peeta nodded. "Effie, come with me."

* * *

The Mentors completely ignored Peeta and Effie when they came in. They were deep in the Game, playing for much higher stakes, protecting each other… "The Career Pack Mentors aren't here." Peeta observed.

"They wouldn't be." Effie agreed. "Everyone in this room has seen their Tributes taken apart by Careers. Year after year. The Careers will stick with each other. Anyone who tries to get them on side is just…"

"Playing an angle." Peeta nodded. "Kinda like us."

"The Career Pack stick to their own; even the Mentors. So. How do we do this?" Effie asked.

Peeta looked over the room. "One by one." He told Effie. "Not like I can make a speech."

"Peeta, the people in this room have no relationship with you. If it was Haymitch, maybe. But they don't know you, and they  _do_  know the people they're sending into the Arena. They'll protect their friends. Some of the people in here are  _related_  to Victors going into the Games."

"That's why they won't ally with us. But it's why they'll turn against the Arena." Peeta said seriously. "Who do you think is our best bet?"

Effie shook her head. "No idea. I don't sit with Victors. I'm the Escort. I know these people from television, same as you. Haymitch didn't spend much time with them either; except the ones that drink."

"Mm. Setback." Peeta agreed. "Alright, new idea. I have to get something. When I get back, can you lock the doors?"

"I guess, but that won't keep anyone out."

"I don't need to keep anyone out, I need to keep them in."

* * *

There were only two female Victors from District Four. Mags had done the same thing haymitch had; and volunteered almost before the question was asked. Annie Cresta would never survive the Arena. Neither would Mags, and everyone knew it.

Johanna sidled up to her in the Training Centre. "It was good of you, Mags. Peeta wanted me to give you a big hug. Y'know, he spotted Annie and Finnick's Secret almost instantly. He considers you a real hero, taking the hit for her, instead of leaving it to chance."

Mags smiled warmly at Johanna, pointing at Johanna's chest. The implication was obvious.  _Your heart's involved too._

Johanna deliberately misunderstood. "Yeah. Peeta really loves my boobs."

Mags laughed uproariously.

* * *

Peeta returned to the Mentor's Dining Hall with his paintbrush, and some art supplies. Effie quietly slipped over and locked the doors behind him. Nobody noticed, already negotiating, angling for deals and alliances. Those that weren't deep in conversation were eating.

So it took a few minutes before anyone noticed that Peeta had gone to the side of the room, and started painting on the wall. It took a few minutes more before anyone cared. And several more minutes before they realized what he was painting.

It was an iconic moment from the 74th Games. Peeta had painted Rue and Prim, cradled together. He painted them carefully, every brushstroke an act of love; and left himself out of it entirely.

Peeta didn't turn around even once. It was like he was alone with the picture; unaware of anyone. But his ears did take note as the noise of conversation faded, and then finally fell into dead silence behind him. When he finished, Peeta turned and faced the other Mentors. "Would anyone like me to add another? You all lost kids over the years. Say their names; and I will paint them here."

Dead silence.

"Say. Their. Names." Peeta challenged.

Dead silence. The Mentors all looked away from him. Away from each other. Some had their eyes locked on the picture, tearing up.

Stationed beside the door, Effie could hear boots marching, She waved subtly to Peeta; who put his brush away and slid into his place at the meal. Effie unlocked the door and sat with him quickly, as the door opened, and a small squad of Gamemakers came in. "Is there a-" They saw the painting and their faces froze; voices going faint. "-problem here…"

"No." About thirty of them said at once, already back at their meals.

"Who did this?!" The guard demanded, pointing at the painting.

Nobody answered. Not one of them so much as looked at Peeta. They likely didn't have to. Peeta's art skills were a matter of televised record.

Peeta spoke to Effie in a low voice. "Watch for anyone who lingers at the picture. Anyone who spares them tears. We start with them."

"Waxer." Effie said immediately. "He was Cecelia's Mentor. Just between us, I think he's always been more than a little smitten with her. Nothing serious, but… Look, he's too terrified of the Capitol to do anything, but-"

"But now that Cecelia's in danger again?" Peeta finished for her. "Y'know, I suddenly have this craving for District Eight food, how about you?"

The two of them moved down the table, looking at the buffet carefully, like they were sampling a different District's cuisine. A good cover, as everyone was doing so.

Waxer met Peeta's gaze for half a second before looking down. "Don't say it."

Peeta smiled warmly. "I don't need you to do anything but listen."

"That alone can get one of us shot, Storyteller."

"Then I'll let Effie do the talking."

It was hard to tell who was more surprised. Waxer, or Effie. "Me?" She blurted. "What do I say?"

"Tell him what you told me." Peeta encouraged her.

Effie turned to Waxer, and she spoke, as though she was sharing some great secret she'd just discovered. "This is wrong!"

* * *

"This is wrong." Johanna told Cecelia, as they 'happened' to meet in the Training Centre. Haymitch was creating a diversion by yelling at the Trainer who was trying to walk him through making some snares; and the two women were able to speak privately. "And unless we wanna go through this all again, we've got to do something."

"What'd you have in mind?" Cecelia said sarcastically. "That we all join hands and pledge not to hurt each other in there? Because I'd go for that, and probably half of us would. But the other half won't. I pull a sitdown in the Arena, and Enobaria will happily eat my face off. I saw her sharpening her teeth this morning. Peeta's move of 'refusing to play' won't work on Victors. And the Careers? They  _enjoy_  hurting people who don't fight back."

"That's what bullies do." Johanna agreed. "The Career packs have always been Death Lovers. And they'll get their wish, soon enough."

Cecelia hesitated. "I know you and Finnick were starting something." She said softly. "He approached me about it. But I have kids, Jo. I can't do anything to put them in greater danger."

"That was your reason for saying no then." Johanna countered. "You kept your head down, and started a family. You were brave, in a way that I could never be. And for that courage, you are now being sent back into the Arena. I saw the coverage, Cecelia. Peacekeepers pulling your sobbing babies away from you, dragging you apart."

"My babies are still back home, surrounded by those same men with Guns." Cecelia reminded her. "You think I have nothing to lose, going back in. Trust me: It can get plenty worse."

"And what happens to them next?" Johanna asked quietly. "See it through. Even if you do everything they want you to do. Even if you do everything right… How long is it going to be before your kids go in the bowl?" She let that sink in. "Your Prep team did everything right; and it didn't save them."

Cecelia jerked. "How did you know about that?"

Johanna's face was grave. "Just a guess. Your Stylist has been with you for twenty years. Off your victory he built the biggest fashion line in the Capitol. I can't help but notice he's not here for this. Do I have to ask why?"

Cecelia looked down. "He said that he had regular customers who were at the top of the legal division. People who could make a difference. He told me he was going to see if the ruling could be challenged. If maybe… Maybe they could convince Snow to let us out of this. The Capitol bends the rules for things they love. We're the only celebrities that…" Cecelia was silent for a long time. "He said he was going to try and help me. I haven't seen him since."

"Him, or anyone he's talked to."

* * *

"Years of obedience mean nothing to The Capitol." Peeta said simply. "I know I'm the odd one out here, but even I know the way the Capitol treats its 'prize champions'. And if I know it, I'm sure you all do too."

Waxer, and the rest of the mentors, close enough to hear him, couldn't argue that point.

"Sooner or later, they'll come for all of us, no matter how much we play along." Peeta said simply. "That said: We're Victors. We're the ones that beat the odds they gave us. So if anyone's going to do something, it has to be us. Nobody else can. We're among the wealthiest, most famous, most well fed; and most  _deadly_  people in Panem. And we hate the Capitol for their crimes more than the rest of the Districts put together. If we're not going to do something, who will?"

Dead silence from the people surrounding him.

* * *

"What exactly do you plan to do?" Cecelia pressed.

"Peeta tumbled onto something interesting after his Games. He says 'Resistance can be Passive'." Johanna suggested. "For us to make it work, we need the Careers, too."

* * *

The training took days; but it was mostly for show. Most of the Victors had kept up their skills, unable to let go of their own Arenas. None of them were willing to show off their skills to each other, with their whole Games recorded for television. Everyone had been studying each other.

So when the Training Scores were announced, the commentators went on for hours, debating the finer points of who would be holding back, who would be misleading, who's skills had dulled; and who had learned new tricks.

As a result, Peeta had no idea what the scores would be, though Haymitch and Johanna were both quiet as innocent little mice on the subject.

On the screen, Ceaser wasn't smiling.  _"From District One: Gloss: A Score of Six. Cashmere: A Score of Six."_

"Really?" Effie was surprised. "Wow. The standards must be a lot higher this year, given the pool. I haven't seen a District One Tribute get less than ten before."

"Mm." Johanna made a neutral sound.

Ceaser still wasn't smiling.  _"From District Two: Brutus: A Score of Six. Enobaria: A Score of Six."_

Cinna and Octavia looked sideways at Johanna. Peeta frowned.

_"From District Three, Beetee-"_

"Wait…" Peeta breathed. "Let me guess." Peeta and Ceaser said it together: "A Score of Six." Peeta turned on Johanna. "What did you do!?"

"What makes you think I did something, Little Lamb?" She said innocently.

"Don't be coy, we both know you don't fool me." Peeta pressed. "The score is out of twelve. Six is an exact average, and if  _every_  Tribute got it…"

_"From District Four, Finnick: A Score of Six."_ Ceaser continued. _"Mags: A Score of Six."_

Johanna grinned toothily. "They… all pulled sit-downs."

"What?" Peeta breathed.

"For their final private sessions with the Gamemakers, they all walked in, sat down on the floor for the full session, and left the room." Johanna reported. "The Career Pack were all for it, since it meant there wouldn't be a wildcard favorite, like last year."

Peeta looked to Haymitch. "You agreed to this, old man?"

Haymitch stared back. "It's not like last year. I know I was the one pushing you to keep your head down and play the long game. All the bastards wanted from us was our silence. We gave it to them under the pain of whipping. And for our silence, we are paid in another Reaping. To hell with 'going gently into that good night'. I brought fifty kids to them for sacrifice in my life; and all I asked of them in return was to just let me drink myself to death; and  _still_  they decided to screw us over again."

"Haymitch, you also told me that if you try any tactic against the Capitol, they won't hesitate to use it back. You use the Training Score against them…"

Ceaser had kept going all this time, and was coming to the end of the list.  _"From District Twelve: Haymitch: A Score of Eight."_

Johanna spun to the screen. "What?"

_"Johanna: A Score of Eight."_

Dead silence in the room.

"They knew it was us." Johanna said to Haymitch. "They must have known it was our goal to turn the Scores into a total farce, so…"

"So once it became a total farce, they didn't have to take it seriously either." Peeta nodded. "If they'd given you a full score, it would have been obvious. But just a  _few_  points ahead of the pack, and every other Tribute you've been getting on side for a week now has to wonder if you were just conning them the whole time to improve your own chances. Congratulations, you guys just became the biggest target in the Arena."

* * *

The Scores left it quiet in the suite. Peeta was angry at the chance they'd taken. Haymitch was trying to work up the nerve to drink. He'd been mostly sober during their training. Despite Peeta's best efforts, he'd been able to keep some liquor hidden; and rationed it, with only a few benders, keeping the shakes at bay.

Johanna came into Haymitch's room, and found him staring intensely at a bottle, still unopened. "If you're drunk on stage at the Interview tonight..."

"I know." Haymitch whispered, and he looked outright terrified.

"And even if he wanted to, you know Peeta's not going to send you any booze when we're in the Arena." She said quietly.

"Oh, god help me, I know it." He looked up helplessly. "I really did try, y'know. To stay sober for the last three months. I tried so hard."

"I know." Johanna said quietly. "I can't stop you. I can smash that bottle right now, but I can't watch you every minute; and you could have a dozen gallons here at the push of a button. No offense, big guy… But if I have two days to live, I don't want to spend them watching you like a hawk."

Haymitch nodded, eyes still glued to the bottle. "If I last that long, you know I'm gonna be a mess by day four."

"I know." Johanna said without judgement. "But if you don't start with a hangover, I'll consider it better than the average."

Haymitch opened the bottle, breathed it in, right against his lips... before he went to ensuite, and poured it down the sink. "For twenty years, I've stayed sober for two weeks a year, always during the Games. I can take it." He looked at her. "Peeta?"

"Pissed at us. We should have told him about the idea with the scorecards." Johanna sighed. "He has some ideas about the Interviews. We both know that's his strongest move."

"Yeah, except he's not on stage this time."

"Then you're lucky to have him as your Mentor." Johanna nodded. "Assuming he's still talking to you when the Interviews start."

"I'll make peace. What about you?"

"Ohh, I'm hard to stay mad at." Johanna drawled. "I can be very persuasive that way."

* * *

But when Haymitch came to try and restore things with Peeta, the young man had no hint of anger on his face. "So, I guess I'm the Mentor this time." Peeta said brightly.

"I'll make an effort to be as obedient and reliable as you were last year." Haymitch growled out.

Peeta chuckled. "Seriously, though. The Interviews are our last chance to whip things up enough to Stop The Games."

Haymitch moaned. "It should be you, Peeta. I can't do that. I can't motivate anyone. I can't get a bartender to extend me more credit. Believe me, I was motivated enough to try everything."

"Leave it to me and Johanna." Peeta said quietly. "We've got a plan."

"A plan." Haymitch repeated. "We don't let you make the plans, kid. You're too damn readable."

"I know." Peeta smirked. "Trust me, this will work."

* * *

"It could work." Johanna bit her lip. "But if they don't buy it… I mean, if it doesn't work; it'll backfire in the worst way. All they have to do is run a test. And if it  _does_  work well enough to send us home now, won't we be… expected to… y'know?"

"We have nothing to lose." Peeta said quietly. "You're up next."

Johanna looked out to the stage, tugging at her gown. "I still say we should have romped like bunnies for the last week or three." She gave him a dirty grin. "Nothing convinces like reality."

"I can never tell if you're joking." Peeta commented; as the audience burst into applause outside. "Good luck. Try to sell it."

Johanna's face changed; as she planted a hair-raising kiss on him; turned for the stage, and slapped Peeta on the ass hard enough to drive him forward a few steps.

"Sell it?" Johanna said with a satanic grin. "I've been saving all this up for  _months_."

* * *

"You People Are Unquestionably the Stupidest Bunch of Brain-Dead Violence-Junkies Who Ever Lived!" Johanna raged at the audience. "How many people do I have to carve up with an axe before you get bored watching?! Do you not get what's happening here?! They'll come for you next! The only people from the Districts that are remotely liked and appreciated by The Capitol are Victors, and now you want us to die brutally for your amusement, too?! Do you not get this? Sooner or later, no matter how loyal you are, no matter how long you play the Dancing Bear; they  _will_  come for you too! They Always Do! You Think This is Fun for US? If they come for us, you're next! YOU'RE NEXT!"

She kept howling until the buzzer went off.

Johanna was suddenly calm again. "Thank you, Ceaser. That was very cleansing." She said brightly to her host, and went over to stand with the other Tributes.

Ceaser, his smile so fixed it was painful to look at, called up the last contestant. "Haymitch Abernathy! My god, it's been a while since you've been on this stage."

"Twenty five years exactly, minus two weeks." Haymitch agreed. "How are you the only one of us that never seems to age?"

"It's a lot of work, believe me." Ceaser laughed. "And yeah, now that I think of it; it was the Quarter Quell that you won, wasn't it? Another wildcard, just like all the District Twelve Tributes and Victors." Ceaser leaned forward. "Now, your last time in the Arena, you won by out-foxing your opponents. You think that'll work against experienced Victors?"

Haymitch was silent for a long moment. "Ceaser, I don't plan to win. I don't plan to live through this. My only goal is to send Johanna back to Twelve."

A hushed gasp from the audience.

* * *

Watching from backstage, Peeta crossed his fingers. "Okay, old man. Like we rehearsed."

"Not buying it. No disrespect, but you don't seem Mason's type." Ceaser said instantly. "That was Peeta's move last year, playing the 'true love' card."

"Yeah, and it didn't work. Not really. Katniss Everdeen was never able to look at him again. I relive it too. I see Prim's death every time I hear a Mockingjay whistle." Haymitch said roughly. "So you can imagine how grateful I was to Snow, when he let Mason come to Twelve. Snow gave Peeta an honest-to-god chance to be happy again… For a whole five months."

Peeta checked. The audience was dead silent for the first time. Invoking Prim's death was a risky move. But Ceaser's eyes lit up. Ceaser smelled romantic gossip, and dove on the lighter side of the last Games. "Haymitch; are you officially confirming the romance between Peeta Mellark, and Johanna Mason is still going? Even after the Reading of the Card?" He chuckled grandly to the audience. "Because she was just out here, and she sure didn't seem like a lady with love-hearts in her eyes."

"Well, she's pissed off." Haymitch said heavily. "We all are. Even worse when you're…"

"Take a beat." Peeta whispered backstage to himself. "Drag it out."

On stage, Ceaser took the bait. "When you're… what?"

"Don't say it!" Johanna called from the podium.

Haymitch didn't seem to hear. "When you're… hormonal."

There was a split second of shocked silence, and every eye in the auditorium went to Johanna… Who sank her face into one hand, tears clearly visible; the other hand going over her flat stomach.

Ceaser stumbled. It was the story of the year, and the absolute worst time to hear it. "Wait, are you saying…"

"They didn't plan it. I think it was the Reading of the Card, and they were just… trying to feel something else." Haymitch whispered. "Johanna only told me when the Reaping came. It's why I had to volunteer. She begged me not to say anything, because-"

The audience reacted as Peeta came out onto the stage, wearing his best look of disbelief and horror. His stride was shaky, like his legs were moving without him thinking about it. He crossed the stage to Johanna, just fast enough to evade the security that were trying to pull him back behind the curtain; slow enough to look like he was in shock.

"...because Peeta didn't know. She would never lay that on him." Haymitch said, as if narrating. "But I had to say it. The Sponsors, the Gamemakers; the Audience, to say nothing of President Snow… They had to know what was really at stake here."

Hushed silence as Peeta came towards Johanna, who jumped down from the platform to join him, nodding an affirmative, with tears in her eyes. Peeta dropped to his knees before Johanna, and she pulled his face to her stomach, holding him tearfully; close to 'their child'.

Cecelia, a mother herself, stepped down from the platform then, hurrying to them. Finnick and Mags did the same. Chaff came from his position to stand near Haymitch, who had come to rest a hand on Peeta's shoulder. All of them had surrounded the little family from District Twelve, embracing them.

One by one, all the Victors came down from their platform to surround Peeta and Johanna, some willingly, some grudgingly, but nobody was avoiding the moment as they came to cover each other, surrounding each other…

Protecting each other.

And then the yelling started from the audience; shocked tears turning to rage.

The lights cut out suddenly, and the screams changed pitch as the broadcast went down.

* * *

The team from Twelve met on the roof, invisible to the listening devices. Peeta had brought a basket full of food from the buffet table; and made it seem like he was just taking his meal to a spot with a view. Haymitch was with them, and they talked a little strategy until Effie and Cinna appeared at the rooftop door.

"Well, you guys sure set off a grenade." Effie reported as she joined them. "I've been talking with the Escorts. Some of them have been with their Victors for a dozen years or longer. Word is, some of the really wealthy families in The Capitol approached President Snow, and Gamemaker Heavensbee. They wanted special dispensation for Johanna to be let out of the Games. And that set off all the other wealthy families, who have considerable business and personal interests invested in their own Victors. If Johanna can be an exception, so can Beetee; and so can Finnick; and so can, and so can, and so can."

"My god, don't tell me it worked." Johanna breathed.

"No." Cinna said seriously. "Word is, Snow put the questions down hard. A number of the wealthier, more privileged people are suddenly being noticed, being investigated; one or two of them have been 'taken for questioning'. Word is, they're getting the questions put rough."

"The only way a Dictator knows how to respond." Haymitch commented. "Those people who are suddenly realizing they  _can't_  have anything they want on a whim? You have their names?"

"Yup." Cinna nodded.

"Give them to Peeta." Haymitch said firmly, and looked to him. "Kid, if this doesn't work; you've just started a major cell group, right in the middle of the Capitol's wealthiest echelon."

"And if it does work, it's a whole lot more important." Johanna murmured. "I'm going to bed." She stood up, and looked to Peeta. "And so are you."

Peeta flushed a bit, and everyone pretended not to notice, but he followed her inside. The rest of the Prep Team made their goodnights soon after, with nothing left to do until morning.

Effie put a hand on Haymitch's wrist until they were alone, on the roof, where nobody could hear them. "I have to apologize."

Haymitch blinked. This was a first. "For what?"

Effie made her confession. "The Night of the Presidential Ball… They invited me to a VIP Lounge Party. They told me Peeta was meeting with one of his Sponsors, and I should take a few hours…" She covered her mouth with both hands again. "They said it was my privilege as an Escort from a winning District; to be in the Elite Circle."

"And you'd waited your whole life to be part of that crowd." Haymitch nodded.

She nodded, eyes wide. "My job was to look after Peeta, and I didn't even notice when someone older than I am came along to..." She couldn't say it.

"I've been to those parties." Haymitch said softly. "A person could drown their conscience in that kind of excess." he looked at her pointedly. "Johanna's Escort did, when she was younger than Peeta is now."

Effie was shaking. "What you're trying to do… It's treason." She whispered.

"And keeping things as they are? What's that?" He countered. "You're his Escort, Effie. Now that you see what's happening, what's your price? To look the other way at the next 'elite party' while Peeta 'meets with' another sponsor?"

"I know. I can't do it anymore." She sniffled. "And you… I've known you more than half my life, Haymitch. Gawd, some of the things I've said and thought about you over the years; and the whole time…"

"I know." He hugged her. "I know it, Effie. I know."

"Is it too late to say I'm sorry?" She quavered. "For the part I played in… all of this?"

"Never."

Effie leaned forward and kissed both his cheeks tenderly, hugging him tightly.

* * *

The moment the door to their bedroom closed, Johanna clawed the Interview dress off like it was diseased. The shower was her next stop, but she hesitated at the door. "Peeta, if a door closes between us tonight, I'm certain that I'll never see you again. It's my last night before… Come with me?"

She didn't have to say any of that. He knew already. Peeta wondered if she was saying it for the benefit of the omnipresent microphones, so he said nothing as he followed her into the ensuite; and she started the shower running. Peeta went to the mirror, and pressed his fingernail against it. "I read somewhere that if your reflection and the real you actually seem to touch, the mirror is actually one way glass."

"And?" Johanna was unsurprised.

Peeta took one of the towels and hung it over the mirror. "Probably not the only camera in our rooms."

"No." Johanna agreed; and started unbuttoning his shirt for him.

* * *

In the shower, they stood close, but weren't touching. "No cameras in here." She said, just loud enough for him. "The steam will fog them. The microphones won't get anything over the water."

Peeta nodded. Even a few months before, he would have been blushing at the proximity. "What's the word?"

"You know the plan. I'm trusting you to be there."

"I won't let you down." Peeta vowed.

"You never have." Johanna said seriously. "There are one or two more things we need to discuss, but that's not why I pulled you in here." She kissed him passionately, holding his face between her hands. It was new for both of them. She was pouring as much emotion as she could into it. "Peeta." She said softly. "You don't believe my 'vamp' act; because you know it's my shield and sword. Your words are the same for you; we've proven that tonight."

"Jo-"

She pressed a finger over his lips. "You are the very best thing in my world." She said softly. "Not a long list of good things, I grant you. But I didn't like anything  _at all_  about my life. Now there's something I  _do_  like. Of all that I have been through since my name was pulled out of that bowl for the first time, you're my favorite thing." She kissed him again. "When I go back in there, I will be lethal again. I will do what it takes to survive. And out here, you must do whatever it takes to win this godforsaken war. But if I say this where the bastards can hear it; they'll find a way to use it against us. So if it's my last chance to say these words to someone, then in here, where they can't hear us…" She took a shuddering breath. "Peeta, I lo-"

He kissed her suddenly, cutting her off; and her heart did a flip.  _He had to know. Why did he stop me?_

Peeta pulled back. "Tell me when we see each other again." He said to her. "Because we  _will_  see each other again. Say it now, and it's goodbye."

"No promises in the Arena." She wavered. "However we do this, we're going to lose people."

"Not what I mean. Last time we were alone together in the Capitol, you asked for one night of Real; because you knew when we left the room; there would always be a layer of strategy over everything we do together." Peeta said in her ear. "Say those words to me when we see each other again; and I will say them back. But we will be in a place where we don't have to run the shower first, for fear of people listening. It won't be  _any_  kind of a weapon or a strategy; and nobody will use those words against us."

Johanna almost smiled. "Well… I guess I can wait for that." She sniffed, blinking back tears. "Real?"

"Real."

She kissed him again.  _We have ten hours to make us both believe the words we didn't say._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Okay, here we go.
> 
> My whole AU is built on the idea that things would be different if you could only volunteer before the names were called. Johanna wanting to keep Peeta out of the Games just like Katniss rang true, but in the Canon, she failed to do so, because Haymitch's name was pulled out of the bowl. Johanna wouldn't be able to hope for a coin toss. So Haymitch had to volunteer faster than Peeta; and that meant it was finally time to mobilise Effie Trinket.
> 
> Effie's journey in the Canon was tied exclusively to her 'Pearls'. In the books, she was never heard from again after the escape from the Arena. I can't recall precisely how her story turned out in the books, but in all likelihood, she was executed. In the movies, she was rescued, and part of the Team, purely because they wanted to keep the actress in. A change that worked out well.
> 
> But after Finnick's revelations about how Victors were treated, Effie's story became all the more tragic, because she simply never got a chance to grow into anything more than a Capitol Approved minion, until her two favorite people were put back in the Arena. Effie didn't realize there was a war going on until the second Reaping; and she never got to be part of things, beyond arranging a special locket for Peeta.
> 
> The Capitol in the Canon is very plainly based on Ancient Rome. The Empire starves while all wealth and power flows to the Capitol City, which indulges in slaves, and bloodsports and orgies. Effie's character in the Canon was desperate to be like them. But if Katniss and Peeta didn't have to play out their 'Romance', and one or both of them were 'up for sale', what would Effie have done? Would she have looked the other way? In the Canon, Effie was somewhat puritan, at least in comparison; always worried about 'reputation' and 'scandal'.
> 
> This is what I came up with. Having a single Victor instead of the Star-Crossed Lovers means Effie had to live the life of a more typical Escort. Finnick's Mentor was Mags. Who was his Escort? And where was s/he while he was being pimped out to these scumbags? And when confronted with the war hitting home for once, Effie had a choice to make. It was a progression that I didn't plan for when I started this fic, but the AU had led me to some interesting places.
> 
> Welcome to the war, Trinket.


	12. The Arena

It was Peeta's first time 'backstage' for the Games, and Effie gave him directions quickly. "VIP Lounge and Viewing Area. Dozens of screens showing way more than you'll see on television. This is where the Sponsors watch from." She gestured at dining booths with glass walls around them, one or two of them closed off, with the walls opaque. "Those booths over there are where you plead your case in private. If there's a double-cross coming, the Mentors of those involved will be in there are lot."

Peeta nodded, scanning the opulent room. He recognized a lot of these faces from the Victory parties.

Effie hooked her arm in his and pulled him along quickly. "Every District gets a private room, limited to Games officials and Prep Teams for individual Districts. You want to talk strategy where the other Mentors can't hear it, you go in here; but you can't bring any other Mentors or Sponsors. You'll be spending most of your time in the Lounge. Way better view, way better coverage, and all the Sponsors close at hand."

A chime went off, announcing the countdown had begun. "This is it."

* * *

The instant the siren went off, Johanna was moving. Stone pathways on opposite sides of her, cutting paths through the water, towards a jungle beach. Johanna wasn't the fastest swimmer, but she was younger than most of the other Tributes. Some of them could barely swim at all. Haymitch had found Mags and was hauling her from the water as she dog-paddled towards him. Eighty years old, Mags was still out of there faster than most of the deadlier Tributes.

Most of the Career Pack had taken the other side of the structure. Johanna and Finnick found each other quickly at the Cornucopia. "Nothing but weapons!?" Johanna shouted.

"Lookout!" Finnick warned.

"You should have sided with us, Mason." Enobaria snarled.

Johanna readied her axe, when Cecelia flew in from the side and hit Enobaria from behind. She wasn't armed, but she had the advantage.

"Grab more axes!" The mother shouted to Johanna. "Meet at the beach!"

"She's right. This is bad real estate!" Finnick called. "Grab what you can!"

Johanna's eyes flicked to the bow and quiver. She was better with throwing axes, but they were heavy, and the quiver had way more shots available…

"Jo, come on!" Finnick yelled, and Johanna started running; with one axe in each hand, and two more strung across her shoulderblades in a thoughtfully provided harness.

Nobody went for the bow.

The cannon went off behind them.

* * *

Peeta watched from the Mentor's room. Those that were willing to help gave him no acknowledgement whatsover, as expected. Those that were never going to be 'in on it' kept to each other. Effie was with him. She knew the people better than he did. Peeta had been working the sponsors with all his Storytelling skill, and Johanna was the recipient of medical gear and food.

"Gale taught Johanna a fair bit about finding water and edibles." Peeta told Effie. "But it's not a coincidence that the Cornucopia had nothing but weapons. They don't want it to last long enough for anyone to get hungry."

"You think they realized it's a bad move, and they're wrapping it up fast?" Effie whispered. "Haymitch…"

"I know, Effie. I'm worried too. But right now, we've got something nobody else in Panem has. A chance to help."

Cinna arrived at the door to the Mentor's Area. As part of the prep Team, he had VIP status enough to join them. It wasn't usually done, as the Stylists weren't allowed wagers on the Games; but Cinna knew some of the Sponsors by name. He came to the District Twelve booth and spoke quietly. "Tigris sent me. We flipped a coin to see who would… well…"

Peeta translated in his head. _To see who would play it safe and live to fight another day, in case the plan didn't work._

"Tigris asked me to tell you that  _other_  Sponsor we were cultivating is a little leery about some of the coverage." Cinna reported. "If our team loses too many people, they may write it off."

Peeta translated in his head.  _The rest of the Resistance is getting worried._  Aloud, he kept his voice even. "Let me speak with them."

Cinna nodded. "As it happens, this was expected. They'll be by to talk to you later tonight."

Peeta clocked that in surprise. "Really?"  _I'm finally going to meet the Ringmaster in this little circus._

Cinna held out a small box. "Present for you, from Tigris."

Effie looked over as he opened it. It was a gold fob watch. Peeta flipped it open, revealing a shimmering Mockingjay under the lid.

"A trend that's faded somewhat with your relationship with Johanna being confirmed." Effie observed. "But I noticed Johanna wears her Mockingjay pendant everywhere she goes. Including the Arena."

Peeta was about to answer, when he noticed the sound of yelling coming from the entrance to the VIP Lounge. He went to the door, worried, and found a Peacekeeper pinning Waxer to the wall.

"Is there a problem here?" Peeta demanded.

"This thug won't let me leave." Waxer snapped, waving furiously at the Peacekeepers that were stationed outside the Mentor's Lounge.

Peeta glared. "Cecelia and Woof are… fallen. What else is there?"

"I have my orders." The guard said flatly. "Nobody leaves."

"I'll take this to Plutarch Heavensbee." Waxer warned. "No, better yet;  _you_  take it to him. The Games are so loaded this year, I'm betting they don't want us around any cameras for longer than we need to be."

The guard made the call. Peeta and Waxer traded a look. It was a good cover, but the real reason was a secret. Everyone who was in on the secret would live longer if they were out of the Capitol. Cecelia's death had cut Waxer deeply, but it had given him an escape route.

"Mister Heavensbee agrees, sir. You're free to go." The guard said finally.

Waxer spared Peeta a look. "They killed Cecelia. Make them pay for it." He said shortly. Only the two of them knew he wasn't talking about the District Two team.

* * *

Haymitch woke with a start as Finnick gave a shout, darting back. "The Fog! The fog is poison!"

Johanna was closest to the fog, and it rolled over her leg before she could get up. She howled and tried to run, and found her leg was completely dead. The fog was spreading fast. "Run!"

Finnick scooped up Johanna quickly. Haymitch had Mags over his shoulder in an instant, and the two of them ran, with their charges; until the fog suddenly stopped, like it had hit a wall in the air.

Johanna, riding over Finnick's shoulder, got a clear look as it stopped. "What the hell is that?" She asked.

Mags gummed out something unintelligible, but it was clear she had seen it too.

The four of them slowed to a halt, Finnick and Haymitch breathing hard. "Guh." The grizzled man groaned. "I wasn't meant to have this kind of exercise. I should be at home with a bottle of grain alcohol right now."

"You never know, you just saved some lives." Johanna coughed, trying to make her leg start working. "All the girls in District Twelve just saw it. I bet Effie is impressed."

Finnick laughed. "Ohmy, Trinket just felt someone walk on her grave."

Johanna noticed. "Finnick! You're bleeding!"

He looked down. "Yeah. Got myself with my trident when the arm went numb." He grunted as the adrenaline wore off. "Ohh, I shouldn't have been walking on it."

* * *

" _The usual alliances formed quickly. The surprising part is how big the second alliance turned out. I would have thought the un-Allied Tributes would keep to their Districts. With only a few exceptions, we've almost got two equal teams here."_

" _Not that surprising, Ceaser. This is the first Games where the Tributes all know each other, and have experience."_

" _Odds were split on how that experience would play out. Some believed it would make the survival side of the Games a lot easier, and the combat side more cautious."_

" _If anything, the fighting has been all the more vicious. Our opening battle at the Cornucopia has an opening body count of eight. Almost a third of the field in less than an hour. And who knows what other terrors the night will bring?"_

* * *

Johanna stitched up Finnick's leg and sprayed him with the healing solution. "The healing balm will probably close up the lacerations by sundown."

Finnick glanced at the sky. "Thank you, Peeta. I don't know how you sweet talked the Sponsors into that kind of gift."

"Neither do I." Johanna murmured, not smiling.  _But I think I can guess._

* * *

Julle smiled hungrily at Peeta as she put away her 'Donation' scanner. The Avox holding it retreated from the booth instantly, giving them privacy. "Well, that was expensive." She said, as though he didn't know it.

Peeta plastered a knowing smile on his face. "And I am very... grateful."

"Grateful enough that you'll buy a girl a drink sometime?" Julle quipped, letting her fingers trail over his arms as she went back to the rest of the Sponsors.

* * *

"We've gotta find Wiress and Beetee." Finnick said. "It's already been a day."

"They'd know to stick to the beach." Haymitch said, scanning the Arena. "There's not a lot of room to hide in this Arena."

"Johanna! HELP! AGH! Help Me!" A familiar voice screamed from the jungle.

Johanna looked up sharply. "Peeta?!"

The voice kept calling from the jungle, Peeta's voice howling for mercy; screaming for help. He kept screaming, and screaming…

Johanna was walking towards the jungle on wobbly legs; like her feet were trying to take her closer without her permission.

Then another voice. One that Johanna didn't know as well, but still recognized. "Finnick! Help me!"

Finnick lost his mind. " _ANNIE_?!" He was up and running.

Johanna's brain suddenly went into overdrive, and even before she'd fully put it together she had brought Finnick down from behind with a crash-tackle. "Not real! It's not real, Finnick! Don't believe them!  _Never_  believe them!"

"It's Annie! You can hear her! It's Annie!" Finnick was going completely to pieces.

"I can hear Peeta, too!" Johanna roared in his ear, loud enough to drown out the screaming for a minute. "It's not him!  **It's Not Either Of Them**!"

And impossibly, Finnick listened. "Wh… are you sure?"

"It's a lie, Finnick. It's a mockup. We've seen them do weirder things with a lot less to work with. It's Not Them!"

Finnick clapped his hands over his ears, trembling. "Gawd, Jo…"

"I know." Johanna promised, still holding him down. "Just hold on, Finnick. Just hold on."

* * *

"We're in business." Cinna said quietly in the Private Rooms. "The Sponsor gift has been approved, delivery will be ready by tonight."

The room had been swept for bugs four times, and Peeta realized just how many of Cinna's conversations had to be coded that he did it automatically. "Here's hoping it'll help. I'd better get back to work."

"As should I." Cinna agreed. "By the way, do you know Annie Cresta well?"

Peeta froze. "Annie?"

"They just used her voice to drive Finnick into a trap." Cinna said casually. Translation:  _Finnick has a weakness?_

Peeta paled. "Well, we both know the kinds of games they can play in the Arena. I'm sure Annie's in a safe place." Translation:  _Get her out of danger, right now!_

Cinna looked back at the screens outside. "How sure?" Translation:  _Not possible at this stage._

"Well, safer than Finnick is, surely. And Johanna and Haymitch. Maybe even us. At least, with her home in Four, that's how it should be." Translation:  _Get her out, now! Top priority! She goes or we stay._

Cinna looked sick. "Difficult to say. But we'll know by midnight." Translation:  _I'll try. No promises._

Cinna headed off again, and Peeta returned to the coverage.

* * *

Haymitch came limping out of the jungle, with a small, bloody mass of feathers in his hand. "Jabberjays." He said roughly. "It wasn't them."

"Could they… I mean, Jabberjays mimic."

"No chance." Haymitch said seriously. "Peeta's our Mentor. They can't touch him until after the Games; even if they wanted to."

Johanna was silent for a long minute. "Haymitch?" She wavered.

"I know, kid. I know." He rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Even a year ago…" Johanna croaked, looking at the shattered look on Finnick's face. "Even a year ago, those Jabberjays would have been nothing to me. They would have had nobody to mimic. Not for me." She didn't say it out loud, but she didn't have to.  _A year ago, there was nobody I loved._

Finnick looked at Johanna. "You knew, even before… Well, before we could think about it, you knew it was fake. How?"

"He was calling for help." Johanna said darkly. "If Peeta was in there, if he was in danger; he'd be screaming for me to run. He'd be trying to protect me; no matter what he was going through. No matter what they'd do to him, he'd be trying to protect us."

"He would." Haymitch nodded. "Peeta would never tell us to run  _into_  danger. Not even to save himself."

Heavy silence. Nothing but the sound of their breathing hard.

Haymitch stood and yelled at the sky. "You people didn't learn that lesson last year!? The Prim-Mutt and Rue-Mutt weren't enough to tell you that the dead were off-limits?!"

"Peeta and Annie are alive, Haymitch." Johanna reminded him, breathing hard, voice sulphuric. "They're both alive."

"Half a second slower volunteering and it'd be Peeta in here right now." Haymitch groused. "Who's voice would he hear, with you in here with him? Prim? Rue? Even Katniss?" He looked back up. "Who would it be?!"

* * *

Effie came back into the VIP Lounge, looking sick. "I could use a drink." She said to Peeta, just a little too deliberately. It was their codeword.

Peeta led her over to one of the private booths and put up the Privacy Screens. He reached into his pocket and hit Johanna's Jammer. "What's the word?"

"We can't get in touch with anyone from Four." Effie said seriously. "I don't know these people as well as Cinna, but it looks like the local Resistance Cell was busted."

Peeta felt his heart start to race. "Annie?"

"Still in Victor's Village; but there's no way to get her out. They were getting ready to strike at Midnight, like we planned; but apparently their prep got noticed..."

Peeta pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's starting to come apart, Effie." He said softly. "Finish your drink fast, and then talk to Cinna... See how hard it would be to get our own escape Hovercraft to make a pickup."

"I can already tell you, they'll say no." Effie warned him, ordering a drink from the wall panel.

"Well, that's my job." Peeta said, and switched off the Jammer. "I gotta get back out there."

* * *

The alliance sat on the beach for a long time, trying to shake off the screaming nerves. Finnick was shaking. Mags was holding him. Johanna wasn't as certain as she'd acted around Finnick, and she was handling it by keeping her 'mask' on tighter than ever, talking baby names with Haymitch.

Haymitch wasn't liking the desperate way she clung to the lie. "Johanna..."

"I know, it seems like bad luck to say it out loud, given that we're in an Arena." Johanna said to him. "But just so you know, even if we don't make it, Peeta will likely have a kid one day. Boy or girl, they  _will_  see this show one day, and ask about 'uncle Haymitch'."

Haymitch twitched hard at that. "Geez. If I'd know someone would call me 'uncle Haymitch' one day, I think I'd have quite drinking ages ago."

Johanna laughed. All of a sudden, they weren't pretending. "I never wanted kids, you know. When Peeta came along, I still didn't." She winced, not acting at all. "Peeta deserves kids, Haymitch. He'd be such a great dad." She suddenly remembered herself, and the cameras. "I hope... I hope one day he gets his chance with someone who loves him as much as we do." And she folded both arms over her stomach, bowing over her middle protectively. The little speech seemed perfectly genuine, because she really did mean every word.  _Peeta said the best lies are ones that don't involve any lies at all._

And then they heard the familiar chimes of a Sponsor Gift coming down.

* * *

There were actually tears on a few people's faces in the VIP Lounge. Johanna's emotional declaration had reached them, despite themselves. Peeta felt their eyes on him, and he turned away, heading to the Private Room. Nobody would disturb him for a good few minutes.

* * *

Finnick was closest, counting out the portions of bread. "Twenty four portions." He said, glancing at Mags. "They didn't send any District Four bread this time."

Johanna sat up straighter, suddenly worried; trying not to let it show.  _District Four is out?_  "Too bad." She said roughly. "I'm craving salt."

* * *

Peeta had heard of people 'praying' before. It was in a few books he'd found in his Victor's Village home. He didn't know what a 'Church' was, beyond the fact that there hadn't been one since the Dark Days. It seemed fairly straight forward. You pour your heart out to the universe, and see if the Universe responded. _For Jo. For Haymitch. For Annie. For Finnick. For Prim. For Rue. For Katniss. For Gale. For their families, and the chances we take with their lives. Their souls cry out for justice... And it's on me to provide some? I don't know how. How much heartbreak can people live through at eighteen? Please, for Finnick, let this one small part of the plan be flexible..._

And then, as if to answer; the door to his Private Room opened. Cinna was in the doorway. Peeta felt his heart stop when he saw who had come in with him. "Mister Heavensbee." He said guardedly, standing up. "This is somewhat of a frightening honor. I hope all is well?"

Plutarch came in and flipped open his watch. There was a Mockingjay symbol within.

Peeta didn't react, but it was only because his brain had ceased to function. He was certain his brain had exploded spontaneously, and there was a buzzing in his ears so loud that he assumed he was feeling the exploded brains melting out his ears…

"Surprised?" Plutarch grinned. "You should know, the booth isn't wired. I'm the guy who decides whether or not to do that, and this room is secure."

Peeta still said nothing.  _Say some words, Mellark. Any words will do._

Plutarch looked at him sideways and mistook his brainlock for inscrutability. "Johanna mentioned your poker face was hopeless. I think she underestimated you."

Peeta swallowed. "Let's hope Snow does the same."

"Cinna has told me of your request that Annie Cresta be added to the Rescue List."

Peeta gestured at the screen. "Every time we lose a Victor, the list of people that need to escape Capitol Reach grows shorter. Finnick needs Annie to be alive, plain and simple."

"Not simple at all. We're a cell group. When this starts, the war will be on. The more we spend on tonight, the less we'll have to take on the Capitol with. We only have the one Hovercraft… Peeta, travel between the Districts is tightly controlled. The aircraft are all monitored. One of them breaks from its flightplan for us, and it's a race. They break from pattern a lot  _sooner_  to get families and they'll be waiting for it here."

"They know about Annie. They know why Finnick would run into the fire at the sound of her screaming." Peeta said again. "Leaving her in their reach is a death sentence; for her and for Finnick."

"Peeta, once the Hovercraft deviates from flightplan, we're busted." Plutarch said seriously. "The Capitol has defences against aircraft. We can't get any of the families out by air. Not if we want to get our people out of the Arena too." Plutarch said seriously. "The goal was to have local resistance cells get the families out, your own included. District Four is... not set up for it. There's almost nobody there beyond Finnick and Mags."

"Finnick was hoping Annie's 'status' might make the Capitol overlook her." Peeta countered. "But that's over now. They  _know_ , Mister Heavensbee!"

"The plan is already committed." Plutarch insisted. "If the hovercraft takes a detour, it won't get twenty feet into Capitol Airspace. We get Annie out, we lose everyone else."

"We don't get her out, we lose Finnick. If there's nobody left in Four that can do it, then we have to!" Peeta didn't accept the obstacle. His brain couldn't process it. Intellectually, he knew this was what it was like in a Resistance. There was a reason he hadn't been told who his allies were. "What will the Hovercraft actually do?"

"The original plan was to sneak onto the hovercraft from an Airbase in Three and play dumb until they have to hit the Arena for our own Rescue. What you've asked will involve it leaving long  _before_  that-"

"What if we could shut down the anti-air defences in the Capitol? Or at least rig them not to track our own craft?" Peeta said swiftly. He'd made the connection automatically; and his brain was racing to make it doable.

"How?" Plutarch was stunned at the audacity.

Before Peeta could answer, Cinna tapped at the door. "Your team found Chaff, Wiress and Beetee."

Peeta nodded. "Cinna, find Effie. Tell her I need a really potent sleeping pill that will dissolve in liquor."

* * *

"We thought it was water, but it turned out to be blood. We've been stumbling around in circles for an hour… When Blight hit the forcefield." Chaff reported. "Johanna, I'm sorry."

"Tick-tock. Tick-tock." Wiress mumbled constantly, eyes roving around and around the beach, full of energy. "Mice ran up the clock!"

Johanna took the news hard, but didn't let it show. "He wasn't much, but he was from Seven."

"Tick-tock! Tick-tock! Tick-tock!"

Mags took Wiress in hand, leading her to the beach; scrubbing her clean in the water.

"What's with her?" Haymitch asked Beetee quietly.

"Wiress' brain works at a speed I can't match." Beetee admitted. "She gets answers before I know what the question is. But that genius comes at a cost of… Well, it's an interface problem. I know she's onto something, but I don't know what. It's like she talks in associative memory; like everything is metaphor. Stress and trauma make it worse."

"Well, this should be a breeze, then." Finnick commented darkly.

"You have freshwater?" Beetee asked hopefully.

"We do." Johanna agreed. "And bread."

Beetee knew the code. "Bread?"

Haymitch acted like he was doing math. "We got given twenty four portions. The more of us there are, the further it has to spread."

* * *

Peeta left the Mentor lounge and went to the VIP Viewing Area. All the wealthy and powerful were glued to their screens. The excitement that Effie had told him about was not present. There was instead an undercurrent of something far more violent. Several of the people in this room had made their names by taking advantage of one favored Victor or another, and now they were watching those prized trophies fight again.

Most of them were so focused on the screens that they didn't even notice Peeta slipping into a booth with glass privacy walls. There was a hatch in the wall that would provide anything he could order at the push of a button.

He wasn't alone for long. "Well." Julle said, running a hand through her unnatural red hair. "This was a surprising invitation. You need something else so soon?"

"There are so many ways to respond to that." Peeta said lightly. "I did owe you a drink; and I figured... why wait?"  _Where is Effie?!_

Julle slipped into the booth next to Peeta and hit a button. The glass walls turned totally opaque; making them invisible and alone.

* * *

"It's a clock!" Beetee suddenly realized. "That's what she's saying! Look at the beach, then draw a line to the Cornucopia! Twelve wedges!"

"The lightning. It struck in the middle of the night. Twelve times." Haymitch nodded. "I thought it was because of the Twelve Districts… A new attack every hour, going clockwise."

"So the safest place is on the beach, where the wedges are narrowest." Johanna summed up. "The Careers must have figured that out by now; even if they don't know the clock part."

"Then we might want to move." Haymitch agreed. "We're coming up on the hour now, and this wedge-"

"Urk!" Chaff shouted.

Johanna spun. Enobaria had emerged from beneath the still waters, and sliced Chaff's throat from behind without anyone knowing they were there. Johanna came up with her last axe, throwing it end over end. Enobaria was faster, and back under the water.

Haymitch let out a roar as Finnick dove into the water with his trident; giving chase. Brutus and Gloss emerged from the jungle in the same moment, swords flashing. Haymitch threw himself at Brutus; when Johanna heard a rumble through her feet. "GUYS!" She shouted as loud as she could. "TEN O'CLOCK!"

The Career Pack didn't know what that meant and turned to look in the direction indicated, distracting them from the battle. But the rest of her allies knew. She wasn't warning about the direction. She was telling them the time.

From within the jungle, racing down a narrow section of the Arena, growing more and more narrow as it came towards the centre… was a huge tidal wave.

Johanna and Beetee were closest to the edges of the Ten O'Clock wedge, and went across the beach. Haymitch went for the other side, and Brutus was caught by the wave. Finnick was already in the water, below the surface, and nobody could tell where they were.

And the cannon went off as a Hovercraft came to collect Chaff.

Johanna watched the wave spread through the water, and started running down the nearest stone path towards the Cornucopia island. She needed to replace her weapons.

Finnick came up coughing, climbing his way up. Johanna ran to him. "You're alive!" She laughed. "What happened to Enobaria?"

"I was an inch away from getting her when the water suddenly went the other way like someone pulled the rug out from under me." Finnick coughed. "What was it?"

"A tidal wave. That's the ten o'clock attack." Johanna reported. "Where's Mags?!"

"She found a direction the Careers couldn't follow." Finnick pointed. The old lady was easily dog-paddling her way through the wedge of water, motoring steadily to the Cornucopia. Finnick started limping towards the weapons. "Gotta find the others."

"Last I saw, they were in the eleven o'clock section." Johanna reported. "I don't know where the Career Pack-"

"We're here!" Haymitch barked, running up another stone path. Beetee and Wiress were with him. "The Careers split when the wave hit. It was a hit and run."

"Get used to that." Johanna nodded. "The Careers only ever ally with each other. For once, they're outnumbered by people who aren't helpless."

"They know the jungle is the most dangerous part of the Arena." Haymitch scowled. "If we have to go looking under every bush in the Arena to find them… To say nothing of trying to stay ahead of the clock the entire time..."

Beetee was looking over the Cornucopia, and came up with a thick spool of wire. "Ha!" He exulted. "I know how to take out the Career Pack."

Johanna was still focused on Haymitch. She felt that twist in her chest again. It was the first time she'd felt it without Peeta, and this time she recognized it. It was empathy. "I'm sorry about Chaff."

Haymitch shook his head. "I can't even… They already got the body, and…" He shook his head harder. "I can't feel it yet. Let's hear the plan, Beetee. Tell us so that I won't think about how I need a drink so bad I'm almost willing to try seawater."

* * *

"Another drink?" Peeta pushed a button and another cocktail slid out of the wall into their private little hiding place. It was Julle's third, so she hadn't noticed he was barely touching his first. "I'm told that you were very nearly my date to the Presidential Manor Victory Tour Celebration." He said.

"I'm surprised they told you." Julle commented, taking the drink in large sips.

"I asked." Peeta said smoothly. "That night of the Angel's Light Launch, Tigris was so quick to get between us when you came over; I was curious, so I asked around about you."

Julle smiled a bit. "Really? What did they say?"

"Enough that I would have kicked in the extra hundred credits myself if I'd known." Peeta tried for seductive. Johanna had given him enough 'come hither' looks that he could keep one on his face, even as his stomach turned over.

"Thought you had someone already." Julle commented.

"And you're wearing a wedding ring. But that night, I didn't have anyone except  _Tigris_."

"Little surprised she didn't snack on you afterward." Julle chuckled. "Ahh, handsome; it would have been a fun night. My job is very high stress; and my entire social circle is so vapid, including my husband. None of them have a clue what a real job is like."

"Or the consequences of making a bad choice?" Peeta countered. "I can see why you like Victors."

"You're the only people who know how hard it is to be like me." Julle sighed, slugging back the rest of the drink and ordering another. "Sometimes, a girl just needs to switch it all off, go crazy, lose herself in something way more fun than missile guidance and radar ranges…"

"Or an Arena." Peeta murmured. "I know exactly what you mean." His voice hitched a little as he felt Julle's bare toes under the table, creeping up his leg.

It was like he could hear Johanna's voice, talking him through it.  _Keep eye contact just a little too long, let your eyes linger at her lips; let her draw conclusions._ Sometimes it sounded like Finnick's voice instead.  _Don't think of Johanna. Don't even think of yourself. Because you aren't you for this. You are not here right now._

"You wanna go someplace?" Julle asked, eyes a little glassy from the drink.

_Forgive me, Jo._  "I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

Effie came to the VIP Lounge, trying to hide how stricken she was. "Where is he?" She whispered.

Cinna tilted his chin towards one of the booths, the glass walls opaque. They could barely see the two figures within, no details of what they were doing.

"I couldn't get it." She said to Cinna. "I tried playing the 'For a Victor' card, and I was told that the 'supply' is closed for the Duration. Apparently the Morphlings tried to get hooked up inside the Arena, and their Mentor is now in custody..."

"The Morphlings are dead. They were camouflaged as expected; and were getting withdrawal shakes bad enough that those Monkey-Mutts finally noticed them."

Effie was wringing her hands crazily. "I couldn't get the dose. I don't even know what Peeta wants it for, but my first mission is a failure."

At that moment, the privacy screen around the booth vanished. Julle was leading the way towards the doors, swaying on her heels a bit, pulling Peeta along by his collar. Peeta was able to send one glance towards Effie, who had to shake her head mournfully.

Peeta took it pretty well, or at least it didn't show on his face; as Julle pulled him towards the elevators.

Everyone else in the room pretended not to notice.

"You know the worst part?" She said to Cinna quietly. "He's not the only Mentor I've seen leave this lounge with a wealthy Sponsor. I've been Escort for a dozen Games, and there's always at least one former Victor willing to do anything in the name of keeping their Tributes alive a little longer."

Cinna nodded. He'd noticed too.

Effie looked sick. "How did I not see it, all this time?"

Cinna shushed her, giving her a tight hug. She leaned into it happily. As an Escort, she was a symbol of the Games in Twelve. As a citizen of Twelve, she was a joke to the Capitol. Nobody had hugged Effie in years; and it nearly made her cry to think of what was happening upstairs while someone offered her comfort.

* * *

" _Exciting stuff, Hunger Games Fans! After losing Chaff, the Victor's Alliance has come up with a plan that could end the Alliance Match. Claudius, what are the chances of it working?"_

" _To be honest, we don't know. We've seen some Tributes try and turn the technical aspects of the Arena to their advantage. Ironically, whenever such a tactic came up, Beetee is the one we'd invite onto the show to walk us through it."_

" _Beetee won his games by setting a similar trap using the mines from his Arena. Looks like he's trying to do the same here."_

" _That's why the Weapons included some technical tools. This year's Quell isn't just an All Star Match, it's also a Celebration of previous Games. We wanted to see how the history would play out."_

" _Does that extend to the Alliances formed? Some of these Tributes have known each other for years."_

" _Exactly, Ceaser. You can see how that manifests in the Arena. The Victor's Pack, as we've come to call them, is the largest Alliance ever formed. But if this plan works, they'll be the only ones left in the Arena. After that, expect a free-for-all."_

" _Which means whoever takes the cable to the beach might have the best shot of avoiding the ensuing bloodbath."_

* * *

"I have to take the cable." Haymitch said seriously to Johanna.

"You're in no shape for it." Johanna said seriously. "The Detox is starting to get to you. Your hands haven't stopped shaking for three hours and the only reason you haven't puked your guts out is because you haven't eaten either."

"Jo, we both know when this thing goes down, it's gonna be messy. The Careers are in the jungle. They see one of us with the spool of wire, they're not going to wait long. They'll kill first and figure it out later."

"All the more reason it should be me. I've got a better chance of going unseen."

To the cameras, it was a debate of who would risk facing the next battle. The real reason was known only to the Alliance. Beetee's plan to bring the forcefield down was dangerous. There was a real chance of getting killed by the electrical blast; and an equally good chance of being missed by the escape craft.

_And all that comes after another three hours in the Arena that you can literally set your watch by._  Johanna thought. "I'll flip you for it."

"You got a coin?" Haymitch was surprised. "Because I-ACK!"

Instantly, Haymitch had been flipped over her shoulder, and Johanna's boot was on his throat. "You wanna go two out of three, Old Man?"

"Peeta taught you that." He groused, getting to his feet.

"Peeta loves having me as his wrestling partner." She drawled.

* * *

Cinna had the decency not to ask, as Peeta came back to the Sponsors' VIP lounge. The look on the teenager's face said he was feeling dirty. "Y'know, Peeta… You've been on duty since the Games started. You must be exhausted."

"The Arena does not lend itself to a few hours off." Peeta reminded him. "A quick meal is the best I could do."

"True." Cinna said casually. "I can send you some help in a few hours? You'd be able to rest, at least for a little while. They figured out the clock. After midnight, they'll be relatively safe."

Peeta translated in his head.  _'Our Allies get here at midnight. Be ready._ ' Aloud, he shook Cinna's hand, slipping Julle's Access Card over to him. "Thanks for all your help."

Cinna took the card, and quietly put it away. "I should be back in two hours. Just a catnap."

_That's how long it'll take him to get the card copied._ Peeta translated. "Good. I'll appreciate the moral support."  _I need a shower. I need to shower for a million years._

* * *

" _With less than an hour to go until the Midnight Lightning Strike, the Great Alliance is dividing forces. Johanna Mason and Finnick Odair are heading for the beach, choosing stealth over power. Tell us honestly, Claudius, is this a bad move on their part?"_

" _Mason can be quite subtle, in her way. But the cable, much less so. It's going to run the entire length of the Twelve O'Clock Wedge, and if Brutus trips on it, he only has to follow it directly to her and Odair. The real question is, what happens when the Lightning hits? If it works, the Career Pack will be gone; and the Alliance is over. I wouldn't want to have either Mason or Odair at my back when that happens; and both of them surely know it."_

* * *

Peeta was back in the Mentor's Lounge, shaking hands with Sponsors. Effie had sent in the bread during his absence; telling them when to be ready. Julle's access codes were the final missing piece to get the Hovercraft in.

He noticed Julle at the door to the VIP Section, waving frantically for his attention. Steeling himself, he came to the door. "Something wrong?"

Julle was in a panic. "My Access Card. When I woke up, I couldn't find it! Peeta, I can't let that thing outta my sight, and if anyone finds out it's gone… The Penalty for losing one is… bad."

"Okay, relax." Peeta told her softly. "Aside from you and me, was there anyone in the room?"

"Nobody. Not even an Avox. I've looked everywhere, Peeta!"

"It'll be okay." He promised. "I'll help you look; but right now, my Tributes need some looking after too. You've been following the coverage? They have a plan that'll be done by midnight. If they need something before then, I have to be here. After midnight, I'll come back to the room and help you look. But it'll probably show up by then."

As scared as she was, Julle's face shifted, just a tiny bit. Somewhere in that adrenaline-soaked brain, she'd made a connection.

_Mistake._ Peeta thought _. I said too much about when the card will be returned. She'll work it out!_

"Wait." Peeta said suddenly. "I just heard that the way it must have sounded. 'I'll be back in the bedroom around midnight'?" He relaxed into an easy grin. "This is for real, right? It's not some way to get me somewhere private again, once everyone's turned in for the night?"

Her momentary paranoia derailed, Julle let out a bark of sick laughter. "No, Peeta; this is for real."

"Okay. So I'll be by. Don't stress. Nobody's going to come looking for that card before you find it."

"I have the night shift. Someone will notice if I don't scan in!" Julle insisted after him.

Peeta was already back in the Mentor's Lounge. His eyes flicked to the clock constantly. The Forcefield would come down at Midnight, which meant they had to be on the Hovercraft before that…

He could see the holes in the plan now. Nothing but flaws.

Effie appeared at his elbow. "How are we doing?"

"Be ready." He mumbled to her.

* * *

The Arena had been fully dark for hours. They had no clock, except for the Arena around them. Whatever was happening in the Eleven O'Clock wedge, it had already started, and killed someone, though the didn't know who yet.

Haymitch had been trying to count down the hour in his head. But his brain was jumping around from the DT's; and he couldn't keep it straight.

Wiress sat up with a shout. "Tick Tock!"

"We can't wait any more." Beetee agreed, and grasped the cable, producing a knife.

* * *

Finnick froze. "The cable's broken."

Johanna spoke, for the benefit of the cameras. "Well, I guess the Alliance is too."

And she pounced on him from behind with her axe.

* * *

_"OH! And Johanna Mason takes us all by surprise again! Playing helpless and weak in her first Games secured the Victory. Looks like the old tricks still work best!"_

" _What interests me is how long this was planned. Haymitch and Beetee are two of the oldest contestants left, and Mason and Odair were the popular favorites. Sending them away into the Jungle, ready to take on_ _each other_ _was a brilliant strategy!"_

" _It had me fooled, Ceaser! Haymitch and Beetee won their games by outsmarting their opponents. Looks like everyone's sticking with their strengths this year. Let's see that pounce again in slow motion!"_

" _Oh no you don't! Not until the fight is done. Looks like Finnick's managed to survive her first strike."_

* * *

"Now. While the cameras are off us." Beetee said urgently, wrapping the cable around his spear."

"Do it fast!" Haymitch urged.

Beetee jabbed the spear against the forcefield wall… and the shock threw him hard against the tree. The spear flew almost ten feet.

Haymitch dove on his fallen friend. "Beetee?"

"Bad! Bad!" Wiress clapped her hands together. "ZAP!"

"Zap. Yeah, we got that." Haymitch agreed, checking Beetee. "I got a pulse, but it's very weak."

Finnick came running into the clearing, gasping. "What happened?"

"The Forcefield zapped him." Haymitch reported. "Where's Johanna?"

"The Careers aren't on the Beach anymore. They're searching the jungle." Finnick reported, blood running down his arm. "Johanna promised to make it interesting enough to keep their focus."

* * *

" _Oh, and it's chaos in the Arena! What looked like a showdown between Finnick and Johanna was suddenly interrupted by Brutus and Enobaira! The two Champions are now chasing Johanna through the jungle. As you can see from the Infrared cameras, it looks like Johanna Mason is trying to lead them into one of the Jungle Traps! I promise, Hunger Gamers; we're not going to miss a moment of this!"_

* * *

Peeta ran with Plutarch, Cinna and Effie fell into step behind them. "How long?" He asked as they ran.

"The Games are getting to the pointy-end now. They'll wonder where I am more than any of you." Plutarch said, as though he had all the time in the world. "Say goodbye to the Capitol, gang."

"Wait, what about Portia?" Peeta asked, looking around.

"No." Cinna shook his head. "Not part of the cell."

"But they'll…" Peeta swallowed it. There would be reprisals. On Portia. On Julle. On their families. On anyone who spoke twice to any of them during their stay in the Capitol.

_Johanna and Finnick. Haymitch and Chaff. Most people like us make an effort to avoid family and friends outside the Victor's Circle._

* * *

Julle, going crazy with worry, ran back to her bedroom, ready to tear up the carpet if she had to.

But when she made it to her room, she found the access card peeking out of the pocket of her jacket. A jacket she'd searched about three hundred times.

She gripped the card in her hand, turning it over carefully, making connections. It had reappeared. It had turned up. Just like Peeta said it would.

She looked at her TV, showing the Games, and Johanna leading her pursuers on a chase. She had passed three opportunities to stand and fight.

"Ohno." Julle whispered, and she started running.

* * *

"I think we underestimated the voltage of the Forcefield." Finnick said. "And we've got minutes,  _maybe_ ; before we hit midnight. Any ideas?"

"Only one plan left. We gotta force the cable to stick." Haymitch picked up the spear. "I'll time it as close as I can."

Finnick paled. "W-wait! Johanna's not back yet!"

"Well unless you can keep the cameras off us, or delay the lightning…" Haymitch was squaring up to the forcefield.

"Tick tock! Ticktoktick!" Wiress was losing it, clutching at Beetee's motionless body.

"Get back." Haymitch said forcefully. "Drag them clear if you can. This is about to be a bad place to be."

Finnick was about to dive back into the jungle looking for Johanna, when he suddenly realized what that meant and looked back. "Wait… How are you going to get the spear to stick?"

"The spear was repelled. I plan on giving it nowhere to go." Haymitch got closer to the forcefield, and put the blunt end of the spear against his belly, leaning his body forward. "Beetee proved it won't stay in place for long, so I gotta time it right."

Finnick ran closer. "No! Haymitch, nobody could survive that kind of voltage!"

"YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT!?" Haymitch erupted.

* * *

" _It looks like Johanna Mason has managed to elude her pursuers. She's heading to rendezvous with the rest of her Alliance. Claudius, is this a good move?"_

" _Depends on what she does when she gets there. If she's checking whoever's left, it's smart. If she goes running to her Allies, she may find the alliance has broken by then."_

" _We go now to… What the heck is Haymitch doing?"_

" _Maybe we should invite Plutarch up here and see if he can walk us through what's happening."_

* * *

"Haymitch, it doesn't have to be you!"

"Yeah, it does. And we both know it." Haymitch groused. "Hell, I got enough booze coming out of my pores from the detox that I'm mostly flammable as it is."

"Haymitch!" The Cannon went off, and Finnick turned back to the jungle. " _Johanna_!" He called desperately.

Haymitch was pulling the cable as far along the edge of the forcefield as he could; away from Beetee and Wiress. "Go! If only to get clear! Be back fast!"

The sky above started to rumble.

Midnight.

"Ohgod, Haymitch. Good luck!" Finnick grated and dove back into the jungle, searching for Johanna. Mags took a half a heartbeat to cup Haymitch's face in her hands, giving him a soft kiss goodbye; before she ran to Wiress and Beetee, trying to pull them slowly away from the tree.

* * *

The guards were searching the control room, then the VIP Lounge, then the Mentor's Lounge. First Ceaser asked, then Julle, then a lot more Peacekeepers started boiling into the backstage areas of the Arena.

The Mentors were nowhere to be found.

* * *

Haymitch gripped the spear, one eye on the sky. His timing would have to be good. "Effie." He rasped to the sky. "We promised we'd get our kids home. I got them this far. You gotta get them the rest of the way. Sorry to leave you with it." He drove the spear forward, using his whole body to press it forward. "Good luck, Storyteller!"

And the lightning roared down like a sledgehammer.

* * *

The only windows in the Hovercraft were the main viewports. None of them knew what was going on in the passenger section, or the cockpit. But they didn't need to know. When the hatch opened in the floor, Plutarch worked the grapnel, reaching down to the ground. Peeta tried to see past the wind and smoke that filled the cabin through the hatch.

"Grab them!" Plutarch ordered as the claw came back up, with Beetee in its grip. Peeta and Effie wrestled Beetee free, and the claw dropped back down for another one.

Peeta came around to stand as close to the controls as he could, looking at the targeting screen. "Johanna?! Finnick!?"

"Not there." He said tersely.

Peeta went a little crazy. "Well, where are they?!" He demanded. "They were given trackers! Find them!"

"Peeta!" Effie called over him. "Johanna cut her tracker out. So that we didn't have to worry about-"

The claw came back up with Mags clinging to the cable with both hands, standing on the mechanism itself. In the metal jaws was Wiress, who was out-cold, twitching uncontrollably. Peeta helped wrestle her free and tried to wake her; as Effie helped Mags down. "Wiress! Where's Johanna?!"

The woman was drooling, eyes rolled back. Peeta wasn't sure which would be worse, letting her sleep, or trying to wake her. He spun to Mags. "Mags, where are they?!"

The old woman had tears in her eyes, pointing to the jungle. Her skin was a deathly grey.

The hatch opened to the cockpit. "Let's go! Let's go!" The pilot shouted.

"Time's up!" The pilot yelled. "We've got other hovercraft closing in!"

"We don't have everyone!" Peeta shouted.

The claw came back up again, with Haymitch in its grip. He wasn't moving.

The pilot was already working the controls. "This is NOT a test, people! Gotta go now!"

"NO!" Peeta shouted and Effie tackled him to keep him from diving out the hatch himself. The hatch closed; but the door to the cockpit was open, and Peeta ran to look outside.

The Capitol was in uproar. The Arena was breached, belching flame and smoke. There were mutts and deadly fog pouring out, as the soldiers and peacekeepers rushed to try and keep anything from escaping, the Capitol's death-devices slaughtering any who tried to get inside on foot. The fireworks from the celebrations outside were going off at street-level, the crowds running hysterically as lights and flame and noise scattered in ever growing circles.

It was bedlam; and nobody paid much attention to the lone Hovercraft that was flying away from the Arena, instead of towards it. Peeta stayed, staring at the chaos for what felt like an eternity.  _Did I really do this?_

"We're clear." The pilot reported.

"Keep scanning." Said another voice from the tactical radar. "Tell Base we're on our way back, and we're light on the packages."

A voice that Peeta recognized. "Katniss?!"

The soldier at the tactical display turned and pulled her facemask back. Sure enough, with a new military haircut and wearing a full uniform, it was Katniss Everdeen. "Found a way to pay you back at last." She grinned. "I wish I had a picture of your face."

"Don't worry, I got it." Plutarch promised, holding up a camera that Peeta didn't know he had.

Peeta was blinking rapidly, totally blown away, unable to choose which thought to say aloud first. "You're safe." He settled on at last.

Katniss rose from her seat and gave him a tight hug. "Good to see you too, Storyteller." Her nose twitched. "How do you smell like perfume?" She said without thinking. "Do guys wear it in the Capitol?"

Peeta realized he still smelled like Julle, and wanted to throw up.

Katniss knew she'd said something wrong, but didn't know what, changing the subject quickly. She led him by the hand to the rear of the hovercraft. "I got something for you."

The rear compartment opened, and Peeta found Cinna was hunched over a few familiar faces. "They're in shock. The blast must have knocked them all flat."

Peeta clocked the room quickly. Wiress and Beetee; still out cold. Cinna was tending to them. Haymitch was dead, the scorch marks around his face and hands were too obvious to be anything but fatal. Effie was cradling his head in her lap, sobbing silently as she pulled a sheet over his face. And at the far side of the bay, was Annie Cresta; totally catatonic, though Peeta couldn't tell if it was a result of medication, or something deeper. Mags was sitting with her, mumbling and crooning.

Katniss read his mind. "We had to snatch them up fast; flying under the radar." She reported. "Games coverage told us who was still standing, and… Well, most of the Victors have little family left; no guesses as to why."

"My family?" Peeta couldn't help but ask.

"I don't know. My information on Twelve stops the moment I crossed that fence for the last time." Katniss admitted. "If you were in on the plan, I'm sure Gale was."

"He was. His cell group was supposed to be ready, but I have no idea if he made it." Peeta admitted. "What about others? Wiress and Beetee had no family. Neither did Haymitch or Chaff… Cecelia had a whole tribe."

"Every time that cannon went off, the local Resistance cells had fewer reasons to stick their necks out." Katniss admitted. "The ones we could still go to save were rounded up before we got there. I heard some chatter on the radio that said the Civic Defence Chief wanted all of them rounded up immediately, even before we got to Capitol Airspace."

"Julle." Peeta sighed. "She was onto us."

Katniss didn't know who that was, but pushed on. "By the time we got to Four, Annie was... We didn't dare land, so… she saw a Hovercraft suddenly appear over her, lowering a hook…"

"Just like they do for Dead Tributes in the Arena." Peeta sighed.

"She saw the hook coming for her and just… Shut down. Just ran away and hid somewhere in her brain." Katniss sighed. "We can relate, right?"

"Right." Peeta said grimly. "You came and got her out?"

"According to Command, it was the price of your cooperation." Katniss nodded. "Mind if I ask why?"

"Finnick's in love with her." Peeta said quietly.

Katniss' eyes went wide, and she looked back at the waifish blonde. "That preening peacock? A Capitol full of rich and powerful suitors; and he's in love with the mad girl from home?"

Peeta gave her the saddest smile she'd ever seen. "The heart wants what it wants." He scrubbed a hand over his face. "We failed. We had a plan to get the Tributes and their families out, and we nearly lost  _everyone_. We got three. Four if you include Annie. Out of fifteen."

"Mission failure." Katniss agreed. "But we got  _you_ , Storyteller. It's not nothing." She looked sick for a second. "I'm sorry we couldn't get Johanna out."

"She's alive. She has to be." Peeta said seriously. "And she'll stay that way, as long as we're free. As long as Snow thinks he can use her to catch the rest of us in some way, she'll stay that way. For Johanna, survival is enough. It's everything."

Katniss was looking into his eyes with disturbing certainty. "Not everything. Not anymore."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Thus ends my AU version of Catching Fire. I will be continuing through Mockingjay. I told you Katniss would have a part to play; even without the Capitol's attention on her any longer.
> 
> Reasoning for this Chapter: Katniss left before our Team started training. Johanna's signature weapon is an Axe. Finnick's was a Trident. Haymitch's was a bottle; and even in his original Games, his winning weapon was the force-field. The bow was there, but nobody could use it. Maybe Gale would have tried to teach them, but since Peeta never tried using a bow in the Canon, it stood to reason Gale taught them other things as a priority.
> 
> In the movies, Beetee tried to drive the cable from the tree into the forcefield; and was repelled. In the canon, Katniss finished it by winding the cable around her Arrow. Without that, someone had to force the barrier down the hard way; and Haymitch was the only one there. But in the interim, Haymitch allowed for Mags to be saved, as Finnick didn't have to outrun the fog with both Mags, and Peeta on his back. Haymitch being in the Arena also gave them Chaff, so when ambushed at the beach, there was a bigger target than Wiress.
> 
> Also, Peeta's capture was the major plot point of the third book. With Peeta out of the Arena, and without the Mockingjay and her bow, the Revolution starts with a tactical defeat instead of a win.
> 
> As to the subject of Julle... For all that he regrets losing, Peeta's been living a charmed life. He got through an Arena without killing anyone. He got rented out to Tigris and talked his way out of it; and Johanna meant he didn't go back in the Arena, or get sold off again. Peeta needed a crucible of his own. Something he couldn't talk his way around. Nobody came through this series with clean hands, and it was time for Peeta to be in the same fight as the rest of them. This was his moral compromise for the war effort. It won't be the last, now that the war has begun.
> 
> This chapter also needed to address the matter of Annie Cresta. In the Canon, Annie's relationship with Finnick was not public knowledge, and yet they used the Jabberjays to taunt Finnick. So someone knew. I was never able to reconcile this paradox: If the Capitol knew, why didn't Finnick get her out? And if they didn't know, why did they mimic her voice? I had already made the 'secret' nature of their connection a part of the Fic; so I made it a major plot point for the 'escape'.
> 
> For that matter, in the Canon, Katniss and Gale were the only ones to get other people out; thanks to Gale's actions in Twelve. If this was a plan the Victors were in on, they'd surely make some provision for their own families. Most of them didn't have any left. One or two of them had several. The Canon stuck exclusively to Katniss' POV, and she wasn't in on it; so I had to invent another way. In this version, the local Cell Groups would get their families out. Since Annie was captured in the Canon, I needed a reason for District Four to fail in that effort; so that Peeta would have to save her himself.


	13. First Move

_"Citizens of Panem, this is Ceaser Flickerman. Stop working. Stop running errands. If you're having dinner, stop eating and give this screen your full attention. If you're spending time with loved ones, ignore them. I've been part of your lives for thirty years, but tonight we have to have a serious conversation about the future._

_"Those of you watching the Hunger Games three days ago know that there was an attempt to commit high treason against the rightful Capitol rule. We can now confirm that even some of our beloved Victors colluded with the terrorists responsible. We can also confirm that their plan was to rescue their collaborators right out of the Arena, and take the others hostage. We're now pleased to report that the attempt has failed. It is believed that the only people to escape the Arena were killed in the attempt to bring down the Forcefield._

_"Their associates, including Peeta Mellark, Effie Trinket, and Capitol Stylist Cinna; were all aboard the hovercraft that blasted their way past Capitol Defences. Districts Twelve and Seven are confirmed as the source of many of the ringleaders of this plot, and those Districts were quickly punished with retaliatory action._

_"Other Districts have attempted uprisings; and we can now confirm that the strike on the Arena was a signal to them. Most of Panem remains devoted to the cause of unity, strength, and peace in our time. The march to stamp out rebellion is on; and you can be sure that we're all marching with them!"_

* * *

"We failed." Peeta said darkly to Madge, Effie; and Katniss. The three of them had come to his room when Ceaser's broadcast had gone out.

"We did." Effie agreed. "I'm sorry about Johanna."

 _Everyone keeps saying that._  Peeta thought miserably.

"You should know…" Madge said softly. "Ceaser Flickerman is reporting that Johanna was never pregnant. That it was a ruse made up by you and her to try and stop the Games…"

"It's true." Peeta said simply. "She wasn't pregnant."

And Katniss looked relieved. "Well, I'm… 'glad' doesn't seem like the right word. But Ceaser says she never was, and the Districts are screamin' that the Capitol is lying about how she 'lost' your child because of the Capitol scum. Apparently it's got them hopping mad…" She trailed off.

"I believed it." Madge said finally, choking up. "I thought we'd come in here to tell you that you'd lost..." She trailed off too.

Katniss spoke again. "If you're willing to keep that con going-"

"No." Peeta said shortly. "It was an attempt; it didn't work. If they want to rile people up; the truth should be enough."

The PA chimed the hour, and they heard the huge underground complex come alive as everyone went about their assigned tasks. Everyone in Thirteen had a schedule tattooed fresh on their wrist every day. Effie gave him another 'encouraging' look and went on to her next stop.

Peeta glanced over at Katniss and Madge, the only other people in the room. "You don't need to go, too?"

"We're good." She said shortly.

Peeta didn't chase it. He'd withdrawn a bit after their arrival at Thirteen. He'd begged, asked, screamed for information about Johanna, Finnick, the rest of the Mellark family… At first, there was no information coming in. Peeta had finally run out of energy after meeting Alma Coin, who told him in no uncertain terms what a huge let down the opening salvo against the Capitol had been.

Peeta had to agree; but he'd been running on no food or sleep for two days, and finally dropped. Effie had taken her position as his Escort to a whole other level, barking everyone out of the room. Peeta had revived enough to demand that he be informed as soon as any information came in.

That had been two days before, and Peeta had finally been released from Medical, assigned quarters of his own. Katniss and Effie had returned to debrief him on what had happened while he was at the Capitol. Madge was there, to more or less offer proof of the story regarding Twelve, as the three of them had not been present. Peeta didn't trust anything anymore.

"Gale's Cell Group was more extensive than we knew." Katniss told Peeta quietly. "The second the Games started going haywire, he was ready. He had almost a hundred people waiting for it. Ten of them took down a huge section of the border fence in less than five minutes; and the rest of them were knocking on doors, evacuating the Seam."

"The Seam. Not town." Peeta said softly.

Katniss steeled herself. "The Peacekeepers were focused mainly on the Mines, the Justice Building, and Victor's Village. The places they… well, the places they cared about. They were expecting trouble to come for them from a roused rabble, not the other way around. By the time they realized they weren't defending against people in the Seam, it was too late to catch our people." She caught herself. "... _my_  people."

Peeta shut his eyes for a moment. The 'wealthy' side of town, including his family; had not been saved.

"Gale did try." Madge offered. "I was pretty much the only Cell member not involved with the Mines. I tried to get to your brothers and warn them. They arrested me just for being close enough to talk to them. Gale had a team try to get your family out by force…" She started getting choked up herself.

Katniss took up the story. "Mayor Undersee showed up at the Justice Building and got Madge out of holding just as the fence came down. She ran, and the Mayor was 'held for questioning'. Gale tried to get your family out by force, and lost almost a third of their people… And then the bombers came and wiped out everything..."

Peeta said nothing. He just held a hand out to Madge. She'd lost her father. She squeezed his hand silently, grateful.

Katniss wore a helpless look. She'd lost people. Madge had lost family. Peeta had lost everyone. Even Haymitch and Johanna were gone. "Peeta… They do need you." Katniss said awkwardly.

"Did Coin ask you to work on me?" Peeta guessed, not looking at them.

Madge bit her lip. "No-"

"Yes, but they're not wrong." Katniss said quickly. Peeta wouldn't be fooled. "The Game isn't over. One last Game; and we can all go back to… to whatever's left to go back to."

Peeta's mouth became a thin line.

"I know you have less than most, and I'm very sorry for that." Katniss said quietly. "But for what it's worth; you're the kind of person that can find good things anywhere. And if you can't find it, you make it. It's a rare talent, but you're good at it."

Peeta shook his head. "It's harder than it looks." He said darkly. "And it's harder still when you start with nothing. I couldn't even keep the clothes on my back."

Katniss stared at him for a long moment… Before she reached into her tunic and pulled out a chain… and the Mockingjay pin hanging from it. "You have one thing."

Peeta stared at it hard, like it was the holy grail, as she pinned it to his shirt. "Alright. Back to work."

He left the room, and Madge shook her head slowly. "I had no idea what she was starting when I gave Prim that Pin." She said darkly.

* * *

There was a round of applause for Peeta when he came to the Commons. The refugees from Twelve were there. Gale hurried over to greet him. "Wasn't sure you were ever going to come down here." He said. "I would have come to you, but there's no getting through that Elevator without a barcode on your wrist. I've just started basic training…"

"I should have come sooner." Peeta winced. "Didn't like the idea that all that was left of the District could fit into one room. No offense."

"None taken. I would have liked to save all of them too." Gale admitted. "But I never would have expected rescue flights from District Thirteen. I hear the refugees from Seven never made it this far. Twelve was on the border of the wilds; so..."

Peeta agreed, and lowered his voice. "The Mine?"

"They had it under guard from the moment the Games began. We had it rigged to blow since before the Reaping. We trashed it good." Gale reported with a grin. "We figure they left the Seam intact because most of the workers came from there, or because they figured we couldn't do anything but starve. Either way, when they send their Peacekeepers, they won't be able to find anyone to keep the coal coming. They'll have to send workers of their own." Gale steeled himself with a deep breath. "Also, you should know-"

"Peeta!" A voice called.

"-about that." Gale finished, as Peeta went pale and spun around.

"Dad!" Peeta yelled, pushing his way through the refugees to his father's side. The man hugged his boy tightly.

"We weren't sure you'd made it out." His father said into his hair. "I knew if they'd save anyone, it'd be you, but there were so many rumors, and when-"

"I had no idea you were down here! I heard the entire Town got blown off the map!"

"It was." His father said heavily. "We're all that's left of…"

"Dad." Peeta said seriously. "Why are you alive?"

His father said nothing.

"I'm told Victor's Village, as well as town? They were surrounded." Peeta's eyes never wavered. "How'd you get out when nobody else did? If it was Gale's people, I would have known right away..."

"I… wasn't at the house, Peeta." His father finally confessed. "And I wasn't at the Village. In fact, I haven't left the Seam in weeks. While you were gone, I…" He looked across the room for someone.

Peeta followed his gaze, and found Katniss' mother, tending to some of the wounded. "Oh." Peeta said softly. "Um…"

Father and son regarded each other for a long time.  _What do you say?_ Peeta asked himself helplessly.  _Your whole family is dead, but your father survived because he was with his girlfriend? What do you say to that, Storyteller?_

His father didn't know either. "I should have told you sooner; that your mother and I had split up…"

"Johanna told me." Peeta admitted quietly. "I didn't know about you and…"

"I didn't tell you, because by then the next Reaping was announced; and…"

Peeta stared, helplessly. "One of us has to finish a sentence at some point." He shook his head. "I'm glad you're alive. And I'm glad you've finally found something good." He shivered. "On our escape from the Arena, we could only take relatives that might be used against Cell Members. Every time that cannon went off, we had fewer refugees to save. The Capitol is not so particular. You may be the last living person related to a Victor."

"God." His father hugged him tightly. "You made it, Peeta. You made it out."

And Peeta wanted to shatter into millions of pieces. Because his father knew Johanna was captured; and he assumed Peeta was relieved. Because his father knew the war was on, and assumed Peeta wasn't in it. Four brothers, and Peeta was the only family he had left.

His father thought The Storyteller's War was over.

* * *

Peeta came back to his room and found Katniss was waiting for him; perched on the edge of his bed, about as tense as he'd ever seen her. "Katniss?"

She was a bundle of nerves. "I heard your dad was alive after all."

"Did you happen to hear why?"

"Let's not bring that up just now." She said archly. "I have a 'suggestion' to pass along to you from the Powers That Be. They want to know if you're still interested in dating me."

Peeta stared at her for several moments. "I'm not sure where you're going with this, but out of respect for our history, I'm going to invite you to walk away from this room very fast."

Katniss nodded, but spoke anyway. "The idea is that The Capitol is the reason you and I didn't live happily ever after, so if there were a few shots of you and I bein' young-and-in-love, then that might portray Thirteen as the place where dreams come true for lovesick dopes like you. With the Capitol's announcement about Johanna's 'baby', now would be the time."

"Well, you really swept me off my feet there, Mockingjay." Peeta deadpanned.

Katniss winced sickly. "I'm sorry. I can't believe I just came in here and even told you about this."

"Are they really that… cold?"

"They don't know how to motivate you." Katniss admitted. "Getting me on-side was easy. They promised me a chance to blow the Capitol off the map, a slice at a time. But you? Revenge was never what you were after. They don't know what to offer you. They can't threaten you with much either." She almost smiled. "I can relate. I never knew what was happening in your brain."

"So they offered me you." Peeta scowled. "Just out of curiosity, if I had said yes, would you have been willing?"

"Gale asked the same question." Katniss admitted. "I went along because… frankly, I don't know what else to do. Peeta, you'd starve yourself to death before asking someone else to give you their food. You'd freeze to death before you asked someone for their jacket… There's still a war going on, and not everyone is going to see the end of it. Even if you-"

"If I make any kind of move, what will The Capitol do to Johanna?" Peeta asked suddenly.

Katniss froze. "Oh. There it is."

"There it is." Peeta agreed.

Katniss said nothing for a long time. "What does Annie think?" She said finally. "I know you spend your off-duty time with her and Mags."

Peeta shivered. "Annie says to keep going, no matter what."

Katniss didn't say anything to that. She didn't have to. "Johanna told me something, when she told me about this place. Coin wanted you in the Arena. She felt you'd be the one most likely to set off a grenade in the Capitol. And if she got you out…"

"I know. I'm not an idiot. They didn't send you in here because they wanted me to be a soldier." Peeta shivered, and his voice dropped to a whisper. "What if I can't do it?" He chewed his lip so hard it bled. "What if I can't do it? What if we lose this war because I just wasn't good enough?"

Katniss stared at him. "He doubts.  _Now_ , he feels doubt. Amazing. The man who, at sixteen years of age, vowed that the Arena would not change his soul..."

Peeta didn't react. "I've done things, but I was only risking my life; and had nothing to lose. Now I have a war to lose. To say nothing of what could happen to Johanna and Finnick."

"Is that the problem?" Katniss asked, out of nowhere. "You don't want the responsibility? Because I remember you were willing to let Cato kill you. The people outside this room think it was a protest of the Games. Now I'm wondering if Snow was right and you just didn't have it in you to kill him first."

"Would that be so terrible?" Peeta asked finally; and she knew she'd hit closer to the mark than she'd expected. She wondered if even Peeta knew for sure.

Katniss took a deep breath. She realized it, suddenly: She knew what her biggest contribution to the war effort was likely going to be; and it was going to be the very next words she spoke. "When Prim died, Gale told me that you would 'carve out your heart and serve it to me raw' to make it right. What I didn't realize at the time? That's your  _only_  move. You made Johanna see someone like herself; and gave her permission to feel loved. You made a whole District see someone as abused and neglected as they were; and gave them permission to feel proud. You had the Capitol weeping over their victims because you were weeping first; and you had Victors screaming for someone to do something, because you were one of them."

Peeta said nothing, but a single tear rolled down his face.

"I don't know how you do it, but you make everyone see themselves in you." Katniss said gently. "Coin wants you to play the biggest role of your life. She doesn't get that you've never played  _any_  role. Not once. This is just you. It's always been just you. If you change that now,  _that's_  when you fail."

Peeta was silent so long she wasn't sure he'd heard a word. "What if… what if Snow's right and I just don't have it in me to start an Uprising?"

"You  _didn't_  start it, Peeta. The Uprising is already underway, and it was the Capitol that pushed things to the breaking point." Katniss rose to go. "Maybe you can't bring yourself to start a war. But right now, all you have to do is finish it."

Peeta rose too. "And with Finnick's life at stake, even Annie won't speak of surrender." He scoffed a bit. "Johanna would have my head if she knew I was hedging, let alone over her."

"If Johanna was here, she'd have hijacked a ship, loaded it with weapons, and flown straight to the Capitol by now." Katniss quipped. "But that's her move." Katniss gestured at herself. "Coin's willing to offer you anything the Captiol would. That's her move. What's yours?"

* * *

Cinna looked up as Peeta came in. "Hey. We were just talking about you." He actually came to attention; but he relaxed a bit as he scanned Peeta's outfit.

Plutarch noticed too. "Still haven't decided, huh? I was just telling Cinna to get something together on the assumption that-"

"I'm going to help." Peeta only mouthed the words, as they did in the Capitol when they didn't want to be observed.

Cinna reached into the desk drawer and pulled out his socks. He unrolled them, to show a small electronic device, before wrapping it tightly again, and putting it away. "I think they bugged us because we're double-agents."

"Though in fairness, we're long used to it." Plutarch said aloud. "What's on your mind, Storyteller?"

"We're past the point of ending the War." Peeta said. "They wiped out half my District, and most of Johanna's. The only reason they didn't wipe out Four too is because they've got Finnick. There's no hope of survival unless we win."

"And if they get me or Plutarch, execution would be better than we can hope for." Cinna nodded.

"If there's something I can do to end it faster, or with less casualties…" Peeta shook his head. "I have to." He chewed his lip. "That's why I have to ask: Why do I have to? Why me? How am I so important?"

"Consider the optics." Plutarch put to him. "You had Twelve on your side. Rue and Thresh gave you Eleven. Johanna had District Seven, and you had Johanna. Her history with Finnick gave her District Four, and with Johanna and Finnick in custody, you're the nearest thing the Rebels there have left. Plus, you made Cato and Glimmer and Marvel look like idiots; which gives you points with every District who ever lost a friend to Districts One and Two in the Arena…"

"Which is all of them." Cinna put in.

Plutarch started counting on his fingers. "Twelve. Eleven. Seven. Four. The Rebellion has weak knees right now, Peeta. Working in secret means the rest of the population is scrambling to figure out what side they're on."

"And they don't know Thirteen at all." Peeta thought aloud. "Why fight for someone who's been keeping themselves a Secret for more than seven decades of abuse and atrocity?"

"That's actually the current problem." Plutarch agreed. "And a conversation to have with President Coin."

* * *

Coin scowled when Peeta put the question to her. "If we  _had_  stepped forward sooner-"

"No, you don't have to convince me, Ma'am. I haven't been an underground Resistance Member for very long, but even I've worked out the problem." Peeta backpedalled quickly. "But there's a line between hungry people in the same foxhole and people who are… not. I'm a Victor. It was hard enough for people to take me seriously when I had food. You guys have an army, and there's going to be some… hesitation to overcome."

"Which is rather what brings us to you, Storyteller." Coin pointed out. "Not to be unkind, but I didn't expect you to fight this so hard. I would have thought you'd be glad to raise an army against the Capitol."

"And I will. It's just a task for someone more bloodthirsty than I." Peeta said carefully. "Given the… likely cost."

Coin's eyes flashed. He was leading her somewhere, and she knew it. "If you're worried about Mason, our intel says she's alive."

"Does your Intel say where?"

"In a very well guarded place, in the Heart of the Capitol."

"So you know where it is." Peeta pressed.

"I can see where you're going with this." Coin cut him off. "But there's a reason why we haven't hit the Capitol directly. We need the Districts behind us. The Capitol is impregnable."

"To attack." Peeta said. "I'm not asking for a full invasion."

"No, you're just asking that we send as many people as it takes on a suicide mission to save two or three people you happen to care about, on the off chance they haven't been shot already." Coin said cuttingly.

Her voice was cold, logical, immovable… and Peeta deflated. "I know. I'm sorry." He said finally. "I don't mean to appear ungrateful, as you've saved my life once already. But the warriors among the Victors on your team? You left them all behind."

"Warriors are made." Coin said firmly. "The Arena proves that. If Beetee wakes up, he'll be worth more to the war effort than any commando." Her grey eyes looked through Peeta. "What are you worth, to the war effort?"

Peeta realized they were negotiating. "Would I be worth the other Victors, safe and sound? If not today, then as soon as the war makes it feasible?"

"Colonel Boggs, educate the Storyteller." Coin said immediately.

"Yes, Ma'am." Boggs said crisply, and pulled up a map of Panem on the screens. "Districts Twelve and Seven are so badly hit that there's no fighting left to do there. Districts One and Two have declared for the Capitol, as expected. Districts Ten, Eleven, and Three are in full rebellion. Everyone else is under Martial Law; but so far the fighting has not spread there."

"Our plan was to have all the Districts rallied into this fight. But Ceaser Flickerman is telling the country that the war is mopping up; and District Two and the Capitol are sending everything they've got at a battlefield that's too small and too localised. Everywhere else is still Capitol territory." Coin finished. "We need someone who can rally a District into an Uprising."

"Me." Peeta said without surprise.

"You." Coin agreed. "You have a talent for turning Rivals into Allies. The Capitol is moderately shaky right now. It's Wealthy and Powerful are suddenly being told 'no' for the first time; and they don't like it. The longer we can keep the Districts from supplying them, the more discontent that we stir up in the Capitol."

"The Capitol's high society are more than just their fashion labels." Plutarch put in. "They're the leadership too. Julle was Civil Defense. Ceaser Flickerman is Propaganda. The Districts have always been a diversion to the Society Ranks. Scandals and bad haircuts can make people fall out of favor, and that 'favor' can decide the appointment of District Civic Leaders, local Mayors within the Capitol, District Police and Head Peacekeepers. Turning them on each other can make the difference; and you very nearly got the Capitol to riot over  _Rue_."

"You want me to do that again." Peeta summed up.

"No. Sending you to the Capitol is a waste of you as an Asset, as they'll just shoot you. And we can't break through the Capitol Jamming from here. But it also doesn't matter." Coin told him. "We believe the war will be over in eight weeks. The Districts in Rebellion can't hold out much longer than that. And in the meantime, the war is a fun diversion for the Capitol socialites to place bets on."

"A Hunger Games the size of Panem." Peeta agreed, staring at the map. "So we need to expand the war."

"The Capitol gets its food, equipment, and even its soldiers by exploiting the Districts. We spread the war, we also spread out the Capitol forces; and deprive the Capitol population, until it's too thin to hold us back." Plutarch walked him through the strategy. "Can you do it?"

Peeta looked to Coin. "If I can… would that be worth going after Johanna and the others?"

Coin looked to Boggs.

"If the Capitol defences are thinned out across Panem, it might even be doable." Boggs admitted.

"Alright, but one more thing." Peeta said carefully. "When the war is over… I'm going home. No more Games. No more Victory Tours. I want all of this  _out_  of my life."

"Somehow, I doubt that you were ever meant for a quiet life as a Baker, Soldier Mellark." Coin snorted. "I have no problem with you retiring before you turn twenty." She gave him a warning look. "But if you want a life of  _any_  kind, the Capitol has to be gone. So you'd better perform."

* * *

" _Day Shift, report for Midday Meal."_

Those in 'Special Operations' ignored the PA. District Thirteen was tightly regimented, to the point of mindless; but they had a different assignment. Outside the War Room, Plutarch talked him through it. "Now, the most important thing is to get the idea across that the Rebellion is a viable option. Flickerman's job is to make it seem like a band of drunken malcontents waving torches and pitchforks. None of them know about Thirteen still being here."

"I thought the Jammers meant that we couldn't get a broadcast going in the Capitol."

"We can't, but they have a secondary system for each District. Different codes, to keep them from picking up each other's signals. Those aren't as powerful, or as distant. Those we can get through. It's just a question of what to put on the air before they can get control back."

Peeta nodded as Cinna fussed with his outfit. It was Cinna's biggest project since the Arena, trying to make a soldier suit that didn't appear to belong to a warrior. Peeta's whole appeal was that he welcomed armies, not conquer them. "First job, convince them Thirteen should be taken seriously."

"This is Cressida, and her team." Plutarch made introductions. "They're setting up a studio on Sub-Level 12. They'll put you in front of a green screen and-"

"Nah, I'm just going to go down to the Mess Hall and say some stuff." Peeta said, and turned on his heel; heading for the elevators. "Bring a camera!"

Cressida didn't hesitate; already running after him.

* * *

"Excuse me, everyone!" Peeta shouted over the din of conversation. After a moment, everyone assembled for their meal paused and turned to look at Peeta. "I'm sorry to interrupt your meal; but I figured it was time we spoke. Most of you know who I am. I'd like to ask you some questions, and if you know the answer, I'd like to hear it." He said, loud enough for all to hear. "Has anyone in this room ever faced a Reaping?"

Pause.

"No." The answer came slowly, most of the people unused to public announcements in the Mess Hall, let alone having to answer.

Peeta kept going. "Has anyone here ever been told to hand over their children?"

The answer came faster this time. "No."

"Has anyone here ever lost a loved one to a Hunger Games?"

"No!" The answers were getting clearer, stronger, more confident.

"Has anyone here ever sent tithes or quotas of goods to the Capitol?"

"No!"

"Has anyone here ever starved to death, because Peacekeepers stole their rations?"

"NO!"

"Has anyone here ever seen the wealthy grow fat, while the hungry get sick from starvation?"

" **NO!"** The crowd was roaring. Thirteen was so tightly rationed in its resources, even Coin got no special treatment.

"Has anyone here ever been Rented Out, sold into slavery while underage? Been turned into an Avox, or a Mutt?!"

" _ **NO!"**_  The crowd roared back.

"And does anyone here think the Capitol should be allowed to continue inflicting these things on the rest of the country?!"

" _ **NO!"**_

Peeta turned to face Cressida, recording the whole thing avidly. "Panem, meet District Thirteen. You have allies that you never knew."

Somewhere behind him, Peeta heard Gale and Katniss burst into cheers. Nobody had ever heard cheering in the Mess Hall, but they knew Peeta was doing something for the war effort, and assumed they should follow the example of the District Twelve Team. Within a few minutes, there was a roar from everyone.

"Cut!" Cressida declared once it died down. "Very nice!"

But it wasn't enough. Peeta knew it before he made it back to the War Room.

* * *

"What did you expect? Thrilling Heroics? Cinematic explosions? The war is in the Districts. He's not a warrior." Effie demanded. "People were talking about Peeta as an inspiration; but not about how deadly he is. Zero Kills. Even in the Arena."

Coin looked frustrated. "I wanted him to rally people."

"What people? There are no people here!" Effie shouted. "That greenscreen studio? No people. The surface of Thirteen? No people. The Mess Hall? Nobody that isn't rallied already." She was waving her hands around in frustration. "What did you  _plan_  to do with him?!"

"She planned to send me into the Arena, and have my dying words be something profound enough to start a revolution." Peeta said without hesitation as he came in behind Effie.

Dead silence. Coin looked displeased with his announcement. Effie looked stunned.

"Was it meant to be a secret?" Peeta asked Coin. "Haymitch made sure he went instead; and he died for it. One martyr to the cause isn't enough?"

"He'd hardly be the first." Coin returned. "For the record, I had hoped we'd get you out safely. I wanted you to go in, because there's nothing that could match that kind of platform. Mandatory viewing, across all Panem? You could have done so much more from there."

"I don't have a time machine." Peeta said simply. " But Effie's right. I can't add fire to a rebellion I never see."

"Effie's also right when she says you're not a warrior." Boggs put in. "If you're not; then you're just another civilian that my soldiers are responsible for."

"I know. So don't send me to the war." Peeta said. "Isn't the whole problem that the Rebellion  _isn't_  widespread enough? I seem to spread it wherever I go."

Silence.

"What are you proposing?" Coin asked.

"A third of Districts haven't declared. Send me there." Peeta checked the map. "Nine. Send me to District Nine."

"You'd have no support." Boggs said seriously, and turned to Coin. "We have no word from any of our cell groups; the crackdown has captured or cost us everyone we could spare; and our own forces are too thin on the ground to mount any kind of offensive into a District that isn't even trying to support our cause-"

"I'll have all the allies I need. The Capitol provides that in huge numbers." Peeta promised, never taking his eyes off Coin. "I just need someone to get me through that fence, and record the aftermath."

Cressida stepped closer to the table. "I volunteer as Tribute!" She said brightly.

Coin glowered a bit. "Nine hasn't  _started_  fighting. We send you, and you have to take your chances. The Capitol is keeping peace by putting the place under Martial Law. Not the best time to sneak in and start an uprising."

"Making speeches here isn't going to do it." Peeta insisted. "Nobody knows Thirteen. And if they don't trust you, they're not going to risk their lives for you."

"But they will for you?" Coin challenged.

Peeta bit his lip. "They will for themselves. All I have to do is make them see themselves when they look at me, and at each other."

Pause.

"I don't know what that means." Coin said finally.

"I know." Peeta nodded. "But I do. That's why you can't do this without me."

* * *

Katniss ran through the halls of Thirteen; until she reached the Barracks. She scanned the assignment board and threw herself at Boggs. "Sir!"

"You're not going, Everdeen." Boggs didn't even look at her. "Neither is Hawthorne."

"Due respect, sir-"

"You'll just distract him; and given where we're going, that's not advisable." Boggs told her. "We both know Mellark's weakness is his heart. Surround him with friends and he's bulletproof. Surround those friends with enemies and-"

"Who says we're friends?" Katniss shot back.

"If he's not, then why are you here?"

"I'm not asking for anything but a spot on the team." Katniss insisted.

"There is no team." Boggs said in a low growl, and she could tell he was raw about it.

Katniss blinked. "What does that mean?"

"Well, I guess the first thing you need to know is that it's none of your damn business, because you're not on the mission." Boggs snapped. "Secondly, you're dangerously close to insubordinate, which is, I grant you, pretty much your only setting. So I'll invite you to dismiss yourself before I put you on KP Duty; peeling potatoes and washing dishes for the rest of the war. You're not involved."

Katniss felt sick. "Sir, Yessir." She said finally, forcing herself to attention. "Permission to speak freely, Sir?"

"Better." Boggs agreed. "Go ahead."

"I don't like the idea of him going back into the fight." Katniss said softly. "There's a lot of history involving him going into an Arena and me and Gale having to watch on TV. When I came to Thirteen, there was a shining glorious moment where I got to actually do something. And it was something that made a big difference."

"It was." Boggs admitted. "This is what being a soldier is, Everdeen. Some days you're on the front, most days you have to sit back while other people go instead."

Katnis swallowed. "Yessir." She said quietly. "But Peeta's not a soldier."

Boggs nodded. "He's not a civilian either." He glanced around. "Look, I can't be telling you this, but if you promise to keep your mouth shut?"

Katniss nodded.

"I'm going with him. Personally."

Katniss let out a breath she hadn't noticed she was holding. "Well… That might actually be better than going myself."

* * *

"I do not like this plan at all." Effie fussed over his clothing. Cinna's latest work was 'undercover', but still war-ready. By adjusting the straps and turning the jacket inside out, Peeta could go from television-hero to unremarkable. "You're the most wanted man in Panem, and you're going out into the Districts with one of these Cave Dwellers and a Camera."

"I have a name." Cressida drawled. "Boggs is right. Just the three of us will draw less attention. Remember, they're watching for an army."

"They're watching for Peeta." Effie told her. "None of the Peacekeepers know who you are. Neither do I. I've been responsible for this young man for over a year now; and I'm letting him go to war with strangers."

"Effie." Peeta shushed her. "This is how it's gotta be."

Effie squared her shoulders. "I don't like it."

Peeta leaned in closer. "It's my only shot to get Jo back." He said seriously. "Also, there's a war on; and the life and freedom of everyone in Panem is at stake. Y'know. Little things like that."

Effie settled. "Fine. But if you die, I'll never speak to you again."

* * *

The hovercraft dropped them in District Eleven. They took a train from there, hiding in the cargo cars.

"Could be worse." Cressida commented. "We could be in with livestock."

Peeta chuckled. "District Eleven, Agriculture. District Nine, Grain and Foodstuffs. There's more cargo back and forth between them than anywhere else. With Eleven a warzone, I'm betting the demand here is only growing."

The train pulled into a well guarded station, but the three Rebels were already off the train.

On the surface, Nine was peaceful. There was no sign of riot or violence. The streets were clear of demonstrations, and people in general. There were guards; but they were on a fixed pattern; which Boggs knew how to avoid.

"One thing I'll say for terrified underlings, they never show initiative." Boggs commented. "If any of them have a different idea of how to patrol streets better, they'll never suggest them. To suggest improvement is to imply the Capitol isn't flawless already." He turned to Peeta. "Alright, Storyteller. Impress me. Where are we going?"

"The Justice Building." Peeta said seriously.

"Of course we are." Boggs sighed. "It's only the worst possible idea."

* * *

The Justice Building was the symbol of Capitol Power in the District. It was also the head office for the Peacekeeper Leadership; and the Barracks.

The storeroom was far less defended.

Cressida was making every effort not to make a sound as she filmed the mission. Boggs was on the door, coiled and ready to strike anyone who came in. Peeta was working his way through a dozen locked storage boxes. Cressida was at the window, recording the courtyard, where over a dozen people were getting the lash.

Peeta let out a quiet gasp and pulled down a large box, big enough that he needed both hands. Boggs came over and started working the lock. "They'll know we've taken something."

"What we're taking won't be missed for a while." Peeta promised. "Cressida, we need you to record this. We need proof of Authenticity."

The lock sprang open under Boggs' fingers. "Is that it?" The Soldier demanded.

"That's it." Peeta grinned like a shark. "We got it." He held his trophy high enough for the camera to see. "Our ultimate weapon."

In the box were two large glass bowls; full of little paper slips.

* * *

There had been a directory of the District in the records room. Cressida had snapped a picture, and they replaced everything, taking nothing but a handful of paper slips. Nobody would even know they were there. Cressida kept pace with Peeta as they moved silently through the streets of District Nine; getting background shots. There was a permanent mist, made of flour. Peeta breathed deep. It was almost like being back in the bakery.

 _I guess this is where the Flour came from_. Peeta thought.

"First house." Boggs pointed to the house.

Peeta went to the door, and knocked. A woman answered; and nearly fell over when she saw who it was.

"You know who I am, Mrs Flint." Peeta said quietly. "And I apologize for bringing this to your door." He gave her the same, easy grin that had made the Capitol applaud. "You wanna get us off your front lawn before someone sees, and wonders why we picked  _your_  door to knock on?"

Mrs Flint quickly pulled him inside, gesturing for the others to follow.

"Why  _did_  you pick my door?" Flint asked. "How do you know my name?"

Peeta pulled out a little slip of paper. "Reyla Flint. Your daughter?"

The woman's eyes flicked to the hallway, where her husband was standing, looking shell-shocked at a renegade celebrity walking in the door. "S-she's asleep. How do you know my fourteen year old daughter?"

"I don't." Peeta promised them. "Earlier this evening, I and a small group of Rebels snuck into the Justice Building, and borrowed The Tribute Bowls. They keep the slips in it all year round. I pulled a random slip out. It happened to be you daughter." Peeta held the slip out. "It's just that simple." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of slips. "I drew seven more names, at random. Yours was the first. If I was the Escort, your daughter would be on her way to the Arena."

Mrs Flint let out a low, sick sob. Her husband quickly hurried to her, putting his arms around her tightly.

Cressida was a Field Correspondent. She was used to being invisible on battlefields. This was something else altogether. She quietly took some notes, her concealed body-cam recording the conversation. And as their small team moved from house to house; the speech wasn't that different, from the Flint Home onward.

**House One: Mr and Mrs Flint**

"1,726." Peeta said. "Twenty three tributes killed each year, for seventy four years. Plus another 24, because the 50th Quell had double the contestants. All under eighteen. Then they rounded up the survivors too."

The Flint's couldn't meet his gaze.

"It's the great fear, isn't it?" Peeta said to them softly. "Not that lightning could strike you. That's true of a lot of things. You take a chance with your life every time you walk outside. The fear is that you know the lightning is going to hit  _someone_. You can mark it on the calendar, and count down the seconds; but you can't stop it; or avoid it. So you cross your fingers that the lightning will hit someone else. Hopefully someone you don't know really well. And that torments you, because you know that everyone you know; your entire social circle, is hoping the same thing about you."

**House Two: The Kenners**

"Well, I wasn't that lucky. Everyone saw when Primrose Everdeen and I got Reaped. Prim's name was only in the bowl once. The odds couldn't have been more in her favor. But the lightning struck. I'm a Baker's son. I don't have much need for Tesserae. I put my name in once for each year, like everyone. But the lightning struck."

Mister Kenner was clutching the small slip of paper with his son's name on it, full of impotent rage; as Peeta wove his tale.

**House Three: The Kondos.**

"Most everyone was watching when Prim told the world that my mom hit me as a child. What Prim didn't know was when it started. My older brothers can remember the exact date. It was the moment they put their names in the Bowl for the first time. Before that, she was quite nice and loving. But the moment she saw that lightning could strike her house too; things changed."

Pat Kondo had three younger siblings; all of them clinging to her, as she stared down at the slip of paper with her name on it.

Peeta nodded. "Pat… three siblings, all of them have their names in the Bowl too. The lightning struck your house tonight; but not by the Captiol. If it was Reaping day, would you want their names pulled instead?"

"Of course not!" Pat scorned. "And if I thought it would happen… I think I should volunteer."

"Don't say that!" Her mother hissed.

**House Four: The Rothchilds.**

Peeta nodded, sympathetic. "So here we are, telling ourselves it'll happen to someone we don't know. But then it happens to us. If only because all the people you don't know are taken already. I've always said, the point of the Hunger Games was to keep you hating the other Districts. But it goes deeper than that, because every time your kids go to school; you find yourself hoping they don't make friends. Because the Lightning is going to strike one day; and everyone knows it."

Granny Rothschild shivered. "When I started going out to parties with my friends… My mother warned me not to leave my drink alone, not to flirt with any boys I don't know, always take a friend when I go to the bathroom… Because  _that_  lightning could strike too. A girl could get hurt very easily when out and around town."

Peeta nodded. "And then you gave your daughter the same advice, and that's when it hit you, right?"

The old woman nodded. "I was telling my daughter how to avoid predators… and the only way I could think of was to make sure the Predators went for someone else."

"Someone else." Peeta agreed profoundly. "Always someone else."

**House Five: The Carters**

"The Games make sure you never get close to anyone but yourself." Peeta sighed. "And I know I have no right to say this; but 'Someone Else' is you too. Because when someone loses their child to the Games, they still have to be back at work the next day. In Twelve, they're powering the Capitol's heat, and freezing to death. Here in Nine, they're sending millions of tonnes of grain to the Capitol; feeding the whole country... and losing fingers for taking a cup of grain for their kids."

Mister Carter snorted at that. He was holding the slip with his son's name on it… and his hand was missing two fingers.

"Something Johanna told me: Civilians belong to Snow." Peeta continued. "And she's right. Bullies want everyone else to turn around and look the other way. Because if you don't do something about it; then you're doing exactly what he wants. You're keeping your heads down, going back to work, making grain for the Capitol. And that's exactly what they want you to do." Peeta said. "And here's the best part: Snow agrees with her."

**House Six: The Antas.**

"What do you mean?" Mrs Antas asked, looking pointedly away from the two boys hovering in the doorway.

"I know the Sit-Downs happened here. Snow showed me the pictures; just before my Victory Tour. He came to my house."

Everyone in earshot gasped, at the very notion of Snow coming to their home. Worse than Peeta.

"Snow was worried. He knew that Passive Resistance was only the start. I was in the Capitol a month later, and the rich folk there were outraged because there was a waiting list for the most pointless of diversions. A new music player; because they had a silver one, and a white one, but they wanted the black one too; to match their new outfit; and the backorder was a  _three_  day wait. They had their Avox beaten for not finding the right color on an empty shelf."

Mrs Antas snorted.

"At the Presidential Balls, they had vials of medicine that would make you throw up so you had room to keep eating. There were attendants in gold-weave silks to hold your hair and clothes out of the way until you were done." Peeta added incredulously. "I said to Johanna, 'even pigs know to stop when they're full'."

**House Seven: The Sargans**

"That's obscene. We've got people starving to death, surrounded by grain…" Paul Sargan raged quitely, clutching at the slip with his name on it.

"I know it." Peeta agreed. "Snow knew it. He knew that all Panem is set up for nothing but feeding the beast, and if we ever stopped; just for an instant, it'll feed on itself. You're worried about your family? Snow's not. Snow's worried about his own backyard. You saw Effie Trinket? My Escort from Twelve? She was all smiles when I escaped my first Games, but when they put my name back in that Bowl, she suddenly saw it: The Dark Days never ended."

Paul sent a look to his parents.

Peeta nodded, and pointed to the slip in his hand. "Lightning struck you, Paul. I picked this house out of the same Reaping bowl that they would use. The most wanted man in Panem showed up at your door, because the lightning struck; and it has to stop. This has to stop. The Capitol is Hungry now. And they've never been Hungry before. For the first time ever, they're in the Arena with us. It's Our Arena Now!"

Cressida scribbled that down very quickly.

Peeta gestured at the bowl. "The Ultimate Flaw of the Fascist state: No matter how quiet you are, no matter how obedient you are, no matter how hard you look the other way... Sooner or later it stops happening to 'someone else'."

"It happened already." Paul held up the slip. "If it had been Reaping Day, and not…" He looked to his parents. "It happened. My name came out of the Bowl."

His mother let out a choked sob.

"Paul, one thing I learned from the Games. Maybe you survive, maybe you don't; but the odds are in your favor when you have allies." Peeta said seriously. "I came here because I believe the District is ready to make an Alliance. Maybe with other Districts too."

**House Eight: The Smarts.**

"How do you know that?" Mister Smart piped up seriously. "You're asking us to join your revolution, and we tried that once. The Hunger Games were the direct result of the last Rebellion. Why should we believe it'll be any different this time?"

"Do nothing, and it'll never change. In seventy five years, there's never been a real chance at changing things." Peeta countered. "But finally, there's a chance. I came here to tell you: The time to act is  _now_."

"No offense, Peeta… But the choice you're offering is to have The Capitol aim directly for my kids, or have them pick… Gwad, 'someone else'. But it still seems like the odds for my family are better if I say no."

"It may be, but that's not going to stop anyone for much longer." Peeta said.

"How do you know that?"

Peeta actually smiled. "Because all night, I've been talking to families, chosen randomly out of the Bowl. Do you hear any sirens? Any shouts? Any marching? The most wanted Man in Panem has visited a dozen families tonight… and not one person told us to go away, or raised the alarm as we left."

scene break

The dawn was breaking by the time Peeta's Tour was done. They evaded the patrols as best they could and were back at the Train Station as the sun came up.

"I still can't believe we made it as far as the second house." Boggs said quietly. "The second someone saw your face, the alert should have gone out."

"I half expected you to knock me out and drag me back to the train station in a sack." Peeta smiled.

Silence.

"You realize we're not trying to build a cell group here, right?" Boggs said to Peeta finally. "I mean, that's not what you were doing; because you didn't tell any of those families about each other. We're trying to start an Uprising here. What is tonight going to accomplish?"

"Cressida knows." Peeta said gamely.

Cressida nodded. "When you tell a story on screen; you need to have the image carry the weight, because there's nobody there to 'spell it out'. Symbolism is everything to the Capitol. The Games, the Reaping, the Names in the Bowl; all of it is a symbol of Capitol power. Peeta took their names out of the Bowl and gave them back to the Tributes. He was 'rescuing them' by showing their greatest fear."

"Fear is the only thing holding people back." Peeta said. "Their greatest fear was their name coming outta that bowl. I know, because it happened to me. You put their fear in their hand; and tell them that they're safe… And then you tell them that they're not alone; and the war is actually, truly happening..."

"But they're still… I mean, the sun comes up, and the Peacekeepers are going to know we took the Bowl." Boggs said. "If you show them their fear, doesn't that… Drive them deeper underground?"

Cressida suddenly pointed. "Look!"

They both looked through the gaps in the cargo container walls; and saw huge clouds of smoke billowing up from behind the fields; out of sight. The smoke was thick, and black; and lit from within by the rising flames beneath.

"What's over there?" Peeta asked, knowing the answer.

"The Granaries." Boggs told him, reverent.

"Their Resource. What the Capitol demands most from these people. A fortune in food that they had to deliver; even as their kids go hungry." Peeta smirked. "I grew up in a Bakery, Boggs. All those tiny grains of flour? They burn instantly, and spread to each other just as fast. A bag of flour is downright explosive if you set a match to it."

"All it takes is a spark." Boggs said, soft as a prayer.

Peeta nodded. "And the best part is? Even  _we_  don't know who did it. I'm betting the Peacekeepers won't either. And the Capitol goes hungry tonight."

"The high ground in every Arena: Wherever the food is." Cressida nodded, smiling. "And Peeta said it himself: It's Our Arena Now."

Peeta felt a chill. The way Cressida said it, Peeta knew it wouldn't be the last time he heard his words said back to him.

* * *

Cressida transmitted as soon as they were out of the District. Plutarch's people had almost immediately worked Peeta's 'stump speech' into a dozen Propos. Peeta had only seen bits and pieces, but the clips all ended the same way. Peeta's words, drawn in fire:  **It's Our Arena Now!**

* * *

It took a few days for them to make their roundabout route back to Thirteen. By the time they got there, District Nine was in contention.

"You did well." Coin told them when they returned. "Shipments of grain have stopped flowing to the Capitol. Troops are being deployed to restore the shipments, but the longer it lasts; the better for us. The more troops it takes to get the Granaries rebuilt, the less soldiers there are shooting at our forces."

"How bad is their crackdown?" Peeta asked.

"Seriously?" Boggs commented, just looking at him. "We went there to start a war."

"I spent a whole night sitting in their homes talking to these people. I want to know how much danger I put them in." Peeta returned. "Why do you think I told Plutarch to keep them off screen for the Propos."

"They aren't off screen." Coin said evenly.

Peeta froze. "What?"

"Stopping the shipments is good. Open rebellion is better." Coin said clinically. "The reprisals against your chosen households has invoked a full-scale uprising from the general population."

"What kind of reprisals!?" Peeta demanded.

"Peeta, I didn't do it lightly." Coin promised him. "But the work stoppages weren't enough. The Sit-Downs have helped, but they haven't made a difference. Provoking ten households into fighting back only moved the needle a bit. What the Capitol did in response made it fifty households. We're trying to start an avalanche. The pebbles weren't enough."

"They were enough to burn the Granaries." Peeta countered.

"Not enough to pull troops away from other front lines. You said it yourself: The only way this works is if the Capitol is surrounded."

" _You_  didn't see their children." Peeta grated. "I killed them all."

" _The Capitol_  killed them all, Peeta. Remember that. Burn those words into your brain." Coin told him fiercely. "All you did was sit and talk to them. Snow decided that was a lethal offense. That's not on you."

"You knew what they'd do." Peeta moaned out like a wounded animal.

"I did. I knew how quickly the Capitol would get those Granaries rebuilt and how quick the lash would get their workers back to it. The Captiol's quotas never would have changed. They would have demanded the same amount of food; and it wouldn't be there, and District Nine would pay the price. I knew that playing it safe wouldn't save anyone, so I played it hard." Coin said quietly. "I knew what the Capitol would do. And I knew what the District would do in response. It worked, Peeta. District Nine is in rebellion."

Peeta could feel sweat gathering on the back of his neck. The panic was growing.  _If I have a panic attack in front of Coin, I'm finished_.

"Yes, Ma'am." Peeta croaked, trying madly to keep his voice level.

Effie appeared at his elbow like magic. "Madame President, our Storyteller hasn't had a solid meal, or night's sleep, in three days. I'm still his Escort."

Coin dismissed them with a wave. "Mellark, I know you don't care for the ugly side of warfare. Which is fine. The duration is a lot longer than the fighting. Save your compassion and cooperation for when the war is over; because we'll need compassionate people then. I promise, as ugly as it is, it'll look better once we've won this thing and torn the Arena down to the foundations."

It was a kind sentiment, but Coin's eyes were dead as she offered it.

* * *

Effie pulled him from the room forcibly, and bullied everyone else out of the elevator. The second they were alone, she gave Peeta a tight hug. "It's not on you."

Peeta was gasping. "It… It…"

"You told them not to put those faces on television, she overruled you. She's in charge here. She can do that."

"I (gasp) picked (gasp) picked their names."

"At random." Effie soothed. "Remember, that's the whole reason you did it. It's what The Capital does."

 _And now what I do._  The thought kept bouncing around his head, over and over.

"What I (gasp) do to fight a war (gasp) is the same (gasp) thing they do… (gasp) when I have a  _conversation_  with someone." Peeta broke down again. "What does that mean for Jo? What are they doing to  _her_ , Effie?"

"Oh, sweetheart." Peeta was losing it, and she hugged him tightly, realizing at last where he was at. "I've never met anyone who cared as much as you. If I could bring her back and put her here in this elevator with you, I would."

The elevator started to buzz. An alarm was sounding somewhere at the stopped elevator.

Effie pushed the button and broke the hug. "Sorry, soldier Mellark." She said, choking up. "Your scheduled panic attack is running overtime. You know how tightly we regulate unscheduled emotions in Thirteen."

And Peeta chuckled a bit, despite himself. "What about you, Effie? Are you okay?"

"Me?"

"You knew Haymitch longer than I've been alive. I should have asked sooner."

Effie teared up a bit, even as she tried to smile for him. "We had grown used to each other. I admit, I'm taking it harder than I thought."

"He liked you more than he let on." Peeta offered.

"Having met some other Victors, I think that's true of everyone he knew." Effie admitted. "But he would only trade his life for you and Johanna."

* * *

Peeta had duties, same as any other soldier in Thirteen. They had savvy enough to put him in the kitchens, but the menu and the foodstuffs were so tightly controlled that it was less like cooking, and more like assembly. Even the seasoning was weighed precisely. Nobody in Thirteen seemed to mind.

Peeta found he didn't mind at first. The one thing he'd been lacking since getting Reaped was a Routine. For the first few days after his return, it helped. Once he got used to doing things by rote, it left his mind free to dwell on things. Bad things.

* * *

Peeta's only other job responsibility was to check on the other Victors. Mags hadn't left Annie's side since their arrival. Haymitch had been cremated, and the ashes given to Effie; as the one in Thirteen who knew him longest. She had no idea what to do with them, so the jar sat in a cabinet until they could figure out a proper memorial.

Beetee hadn't woken up, still comatose. Thirteen's Doctors could do little more than wait for him to find his way out of the dark.

Wiress was another matter.

* * *

"She's been taking apart the weapons like she's trying to climb inside them." Gale reported to Peeta. "They don't know if they should give her a job or put her in a straightjacket."

"Why not?" Peeta couldn't help but ask. Wiress was having the time of her life, covered in small electrical burns she didn't seem to notice, and outright juggling components of small munitions. Peeta, Katniss and Gale were at the other end of the lab, close to the door. Wiress was in the middle of the room, taking apart a rocket launcher with her bare hands. The only other people in the room were two guards, as far from Wiress as they could get.

"Well, it's what's called risk/reward." Katniss drawled. "See this taser?" She held up what looked like a flat rifle. "It was the size of a remote control yesterday. Now, it could put down a Peacekeeper in full body armor."

"Got a full auto clip, too." Gale added. "I've seen those zappers the Peacekeepers had in Twelve. One shot, then you wind the cables up." He gestured at Katniss. "She made Katniss a new toy. It can morph from a fighting pike into a bow, complete with sights and bowstring."

"The problem is that she's also unhinged." Katniss put in. "Every time she builds something new, she has to test it on the spot. She's blown up two storage closets, and test-fired three new weapons at the lab-techs. Two of them are in Medbay. When they isolated her, she started testing things on herself. She also took apart the lights in her quarters. They still work, but the tech's don't know how, since she apparently yanked twenty feet of cabling right out of the walls." She shook her head. "I hear she broke into the chemistry lab, and brewed herself something called 'root beer', whatever that is."

"If she's dangerous, why do they keep giving her munitions and ammo?"

"They don't. They strip the ammo and munitions out, and she finds some way to make it work anyway."

"PEETA!" Wiress suddenly noticed him there and came running over, pushing a small pillbox at him.

Peeta noticed several guards running over, apparently to 'rescue'; him, and he waved them down. The small pillbox was actually a fob-watch. He opened it, and music started to play. Rue's whistle.

Gale stared at it. "How can it do that? It's nothing but the watch clockworks. They've searched her for concealed bits and pieces three times."

Peeta closed the watch, opened it again, and Rue's whistle played again. Wiress had turned Plutarch's watch into a music box for him.

"Zap." Wiress said profoundly.

Peeta sighed and nodded. "She's not putting people in Medbay because she's crazy. She's doing it because the Medbay is where Beetee is. She wants to see him, and if it means doing herself an injury, that's fine with her."

Wiress pointed at her nose with one hand, and at Peeta with the other, nearly dancing in place. "B! I! N! G! O!" She spelled out. "And Bingo was his name-o!"

* * *

One week to the day after Peeta went to Nine, the door to the kitchen burst open, and Gale came running in. "Peeta! You gotta see this!"

Peeta followed him out into the cafeteria, and found everyone staring at the screen. There on television, live to the whole country, was Finnick Odair.

* * *

" _...has to stop immediately, Ceaser. What do these people think is going to happen next? Even if they win; the infrastructure of Panem will be in ruins. The whole point of the Hunger Games is to remind us how thin the line between us and starvation is. The Granaries are burning! So are the orchards! So is the fishing fleet I was raised on. This can't go on!"_

" _Finnick, what would you do?"_

" _The Capitol isn't unreasonable. They believe in order above all else. So any kind of change has to be done in an orderly way. The minute someone picks up a weapon, they're committed. Those people who pulled sit-downs in the Districts? That was smart. It was a way of showing that they did not agree; but nobody got hurt, and nothing was trashed beyond repair. A war is only going to get us all killed."_

" _Strong words. You know that some of the people who joined the rebels are friends of yours, Finnick."_

" _Burning the Districts? They're no friends of mine. And to be honest, I wonder how much Peeta can really do. So far he's been all talk. I understand why the Victors might rebel. They're used to facing opposition by killing it first. Peeta Mellark doesn't have it in him. He says some honeyed words, and everyone else goes marching into the war; while his hands stay clean of the blood. Just like he did with Thresh."_

* * *

Katniss looked immediately. Finnick had hit Peeta's weakness on the head. "Peeta-"

Peeta turned to face her, but his eyes saw straight through her. "Annie and Mags." He said softly, and took off. Peeta was immediately running for all he was worth towards the elevators. He didn't know why he bothered. The damage was already done.

* * *

By the time he got to the medbay, Annie had lost it. She was hiding in the closet of her room, hugging her knees, rocking back and forth, with huge eyes, staring at nothing. Mags was standing guard outside the closet, crying her eyes out. She saw Peeta come in and relaxed, then she saw Gale and Katniss behind him and scowled. The old woman drove them out with furious squabbles, slamming the door in their face, once Peeta was inside. This moment was for Victors only.

"Annie…" Peeta said gently, extending one hand out to her.

She looked up at him. "He's alive."

"He is." Peeta confirmed.

"W-w-w-what about Jo?"

Peeta felt sick. "I don't know."

Annie coiled in on herself tighter. "The things he said…"

"He didn't mean any of them, Annie. He knows at least half of it was a lie."

"Then why?" Annie wept. "Why? What are they doing to him to make him say that stuff?"

"I don't know." Peeta admitted.

" **Then go find out!** " She yelled at him.

* * *

"The Deal no longer stands." Coin said implacably. "We cannot rescue Odair. Not after that."

"We had a deal. I perform; you rescue them." Peeta insisted, still catching his breath. He'd sprinted all the way from Annie to the War Room.

"A deal that no longer stands. Finnick has made sure that our end of the bargain can't be met. Finnick and the other Tributes will face charges for their-"

"NO!"

"Soldier Mellark, I can't give a pass to people actively fighting against us." She barked over him.

"Finnick's been your operative in the Capitol for how long?!" Peeta demanded.

"And now he's changed sides." Coin countered swiftly. "I take no pleasure in it, but his work for us was secret, and his work for the Capitol was just broadcast across Panem. He's picked his side."

"Now he's fighting for Annie's life." Peeta countered. "He doesn't know we picked her up. The Capitol has been saying that the attack on the Arena failed. Getting Annie out was a last minute change,  _after_  he was in the Arena. All he knows is what he hears in there. Getting Annie out-"

"Was your call." Coin cut him off. "And by the way, that little side trip is why the Hovercraft were onto you so fast. If you'd left her, we'd have Finnick Odair and Johanna Mason right here. Maybe all of them."

Peeta blew right past that. She was right, but he'd feel the guilt later. "Finnick is trying to save the only thing he cares about. Isn't that what we're all trying to do? What do you care about, President Coin?"

"Right now, Winning This War. And Odair just made that harder."

Peeta chewed his lip. "What if we could turn it around on them?"

"How?"

"You wanted me in the Quarter Quell Games because of the huge platform I'd have. If I'm right, and Finnick is only trying to protect Annie; then we can still use that platform. If you're right, and he's out to save his own skin… or even disrupt the Rebellion; you can find out for sure."

"You're a smooth dealer, Mellark." Coin conceded. "But unless someone has a valid plan on how-"

"We just have to get a message to Finnick."

"He's too well guarded." Boggs put in. "You can bet they know we'd come for him and Mason before anyone else in the Capitol."

"They have him in front of big bright screens every time he's seen in public." Peeta countered. "I've done those interviews. The people on camera see the broadcast too."

"We can't break the encryption." Plutarch insisted. "The Capitol, the Districts… They have a different encryption cycle for each system. We can't hack more than a few of the Districts."

"Forget the transmitter. What about the control room?" Peeta countered. "The Capitol is very… centralized, with its media. You were Head Gamemaker. You had the keys to their entire broadcast system. You didn't leave a way in for yourself?"

"Access isn't the problem. Bandwidth is. The Jammers run thick and heavy. Uploading a video of any kind, past that kind of signal block? I'd be lucky to get half a second of footage on screen."

Peeta bit his lip. "What if it's just a still image? One picture?"

"Fine. Two seconds." Plutarch shook his head. "Gawd, I wish we could get Beetee to wake up."

"Two seconds are all we need." Peeta insisted.

That got Coin to take notice. "'All we need' to do what?"

"Neutralize Finnick."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Okay, reasoning for this chapter:
> 
> 1) The retaliatory strike on 12 in the Canon was part because Katniss was a Resistance Leader, and part because they were building her 'nemesis' storyline with Snow. Peeta's faced Snow, and Snow declared him 'mostly harmless'. So in this version, the retaliatory strike was against Johanna and Peeta alike. Half of each District, rather than all of one.
> 
> 2) I'd made an effort to have the Capitol decide Jo and Finnick were the key Resistance members in the Victor's Circle. So why was Four left alone? Because Finnick had been captured alive. Four is a way to control Finnick's behavior.
> 
> 3) In the Canon, Peeta was broadcast to counter the Mockingjay. In this fic, I've sought to make Peeta less of a figurehead, and less of a 'symbol of hope'. He's a famous face for the Rebels, but he's not their 'champion'. Here's the result: The Rebels are losing the war, because with a smaller, more subtle symbol to fight for, the Rebellion isn't as widespread. In the canon, Katniss was filmed to 'add fire' to the rebellion. Peeta is being sent to start the fight. Peeta and Katniss have very different ways of rallying people. Katniss froze at the hospital, not knowing what to do for a while; and letting her rage speak for her after the fight. Peeta is more comfotable with an audience, but not a fighter.
> 
> 4) The Capitol still needs a way to counter the Rebel Propos, and Finnick is the best option, as a more visible, more popular figure in the Capitol.
> 
> Read and review!


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